


Blame Aphrodite

by Wobbel



Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: Algernon Rowan-Webb is dead but he was old and it wasn't sad, Dementia, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Forgive Me, Friendship, Gardens & Gardening, Gwen Bat has dementia, Hecate Hardbroom is a goddess, Hicsqueak gardener and heiress AU, Historical Research, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I wrote this when I should have been working, Loss of Virginity, Pippa Pentangle has issues, Pippa just wants to start her school y'all, Romance, Virginity is a flawed concept
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:53:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 35,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28669518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wobbel/pseuds/Wobbel
Summary: Hecate Hardbroom is a gardener hired to tend the Pentangle estate gardens. Pippa Pentangle is the bored and oppressed Pentangle heiress. They meet, it doesn't go well. They are both rude and dislike each other.
Relationships: Amelia Cackle | Ada Cackle & Hardbroom, Amelia Cackle | Ada Cackle & Pentangle, Drill & Pentangle (Worst Witch), Hardbroom & Julie Hubble, Hardbroom & Mildred Hubble, Hardbroom/Pentangle (Worst Witch)
Comments: 75
Kudos: 76





	1. A beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this thing. Well, I am still writing this thing. Just want to know what you think. Should I continue?  
> I haven't really shared my work before, please be nice to me.  
> English is not my native language, so forgive my mistakes.  
> I do not have a beta but I would like one :)  
> I adore all other hicsqueak fanfiction writers!

“This is a list of my references and this folder has pictures of gardens I worked on.” Hecate put the materials on the edge of the desk as she stood up. Miss Ada Cackle, seated at the other side during the interview, followed suit and came around the desk. “I’ll be sure to look it over and get back to you soon, Miss Hardbroom. Mister Rowan-Webb, our former master gardener, hasn’t been capable of keeping up the estate gardens for a while now, so they are quite in disarray.” The smile on Miss Cackle’s face was wistful, making Hecate a little uncomfortable. “I enjoy a challenge, Miss Cackle.”

They shook hands and Miss Cackle led her out of the study and down the hall to the front door. “Thank you for coming, Miss Hardbroom. Have a good day.” As the door closed behind her, Hecate took a deep breath. She was glad to have survived that interview, selling herself had never been her strong suit. As she walked down the long driveway to the gate and surveyed the gardens, she noticed the neglect. The grass was in bad shape, flowers were overgrown with weeds and the trees that lined the driveway needed pruning. She’d have her work cut out for her if she got the job. It would be a good distraction from her lonely life and it would be nice to work on proper gardens again.

* * *

Pippa was bored. Had been bored for quite some time. She wondered whether it would have been better if she’d accompanied her parents and brother to their summer house by the sea but she dismissed that quickly. She had never been one to be entertained by lavish parties with too many people on their yacht or in their ballroom. Pippa liked the quiet; philosophical debates by the fire, reading books and playing chess, intimate picknicks, rowing on the lake. She hoped she would ever find someone to share that with. Someone who would challenge her and help her fill the endless hours in the day, unlike her brother and parents and all their friends, who just added to the boredom in her life.

She stood by her bedroom window and looked out at the dreary day. The garden looked sad and overgrown. Hopefully Ada would hire a new gardener soon, so Pippa would at least see something change this summer. With a heavy sigh she turned around and sat back down at her computer. If she would just concentrate for a few more hours, she could finish the next draft of her research paper.

* * *

Hecate parked her bike in the shed next to the small house. As she entered the kitchen, she put on the kettle before softly making her way to the small bedroom at the back of the house. “Gwen, are you up?” The bedroom was dark, a small sliver of light came from a slit in the curtains. The lump under the covers rolled over, waking the black cat at the foot of the bed. The cat mewed grumpily and hopped off the bed to make her way to Hecate, bumping her head against the woman’s calves. “Morning to you, Morgana. I will be with you in a second.” Gwen sat up in the bed and ran her fingers through her grey curls. Hecate carefully came closer, hoping today would be a good day for Gwen.

“Good morning, Gwen. How did you sleep?” The eyes that settled on her were confused and anxious, but Hecate could detect no suspicion. “Good morning, dear. I slept well, and yourself?” “I as well, Gwen. Thank you.” Hecate opened the curtains and handed Gwen her robe and slippers. “Would you like to have some tea and toast with me?” Gwen looked puzzled at the offered garments, until Hecate draped the robe over her shoulders and put the slippers on her feet. Gwen smiled at her. “Yes, dear. I find I am quite peckish.” She took the offered hand and shuffled after Hecate to the kitchen.

* * *

Pippa entered the kitchen in her riding clothes. Yesterday, she finished her draft and sent it to her co-authors. She wouldn’t get anything back for another week, she estimated, giving her time to start on the next part of their genealogy research. But not today. Today she would try to relax, take Helix for a ride and then a long, hot bath with her new novel.

As she filled her canteen at the tap, she noticed Ada on the patio talking to a man and wondered who he was. Maybe the new gardener. It had taken quite some time to find someone willing and able to take on their gardens. They were large, the neglect was enormous and her parents demands were arduous. Pippa missed mister Rowan-Webb, he was always friendly and tried to make her laugh, but she wondered why her parents had kept him on, when he had physically become incapable to do all the work. Surely the man deserved to enjoy his pension at his age?

She was pulled out of her musings when Ada came back inside. “Good morning, Pippa. Going for a ride?” Pippa turned around and smiled at her. “Morning Ada. I am indeed.” She watched the other woman while she sorted the mail on the kitchen table. “Have you succeeded in finding a new gardener yet?” Ada looked up with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling behind her half-moon glasses. “You know, Pippa, I think I did. Someone young and experienced, capable and willing, and very well recommended.” Ada trailed off and looked back down at the stack of mail in her hands and continued sorting. Pippa saw this as her cue to leave and made her way to the back door. “That’s great, Ada. Can’t wait to meet him!” Stepping outside, she inhaled deeply. This was going to be a good day, she hoped.

* * *

Hecate was on her knees removing weeds from the tiny flower bed in front of Gwen’s house. Miss Cackle had called this morning to let her know she could start work on the Pentangle gardens as soon as possible. She would probably have limited time and energy to tend this garden after today, so she decided to clean it up during Gwen’s nap. The sound of footsteps on the pavement made her pause her movements but only for a fraction of a second. When the footsteps stopped in front of the house, Hecate continued without looking up, waiting for the other person to acknowledge her or move on.

When nothing happened after a couple of minutes, she sighed. “It is rude to stare.” She wasn’t sure whether the person was staring but it was an educated guess. “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t mean to.” The voice was young. Hecate turned around and saw a teenage girl, fourteen or fifteen, with chestnut hair in plaits and a cardboard box in her hands. She gave the girl a questioning look until she started speaking again. “I’m here to visit miss Bat?” Hecate sighed again. “Is that a question?” The girl gave a lost look back at her. “Who are you and how do you know miss Bat?” At the invitation, which wasn’t an invitation as far as Hecate was concerned, the girl entered the garden and stood next to the flower bed. “I’m Mildred. Mildred Hubble.” She held out her hand and Hecate took it with another sigh.

“Miss Bat used to be my mum’s music teacher and piano instructor. Since her dementia, my mum and I visit her once in a while. We have been away, because my aunt got sick and my mum’s a nurse, see. When we got home yesterday, it was so sad to hear mister Rowan-Webb died. Are you the daughter that’s taking care of miss Bat now?” Hecate had sat back on the path during Mildred’s rant, stretching her legs and leaning back on her hands. “Well, Mildred Hubble. That is quite a lot of information.” She stood up and wiped dirt from her pants. “You don’t look old enough to be miss Bat’s daughter.” “I am her foster daughter.” Hecate looked pointedly down at the girl. “I brought cake.” Mildred’s smile was bright and honest as she held out the box. “Shall we go inside then, and have some tea?”

* * *

Pippa was going out of her mind with boredom. She had taken Helix out for a ride twice in the last two days, and today she was too sore to ride. She needed to give herself a day to recuperate. Her work didn’t capture her attention as it should but, to be honest, it hardly ever did. Especially the genealogical study she was carrying out at the moment would never sufficiently engage her mind. Her parents had persuaded Pippa to go into the discipline of historical research and although she thought it interesting enough at times, it wasn’t what she wanted to do with her life.

She had been an insecure eighteen-year-old, that never really fit in anywhere and had no real friends, so she was convinced that her parents, who knew her best, were helping her make a decision that would fit her personally. Later on, she had come to realize they had pushed her into something they thought was proper enough for their family image and standing. Not for the first time, Pippa wished she would’ve had the nerve to go against their advice. She was stuck; stuck in this house, stuck at her research job, stuck with the diploma she had that gave her no more job opportunities than the one she had and some others that were _beneath her station._ Worst of all, she was stuck living under her parent's thumb.

The only way out, it seemed, was to get married. A marriage would release the inheritance her grandparents had left her, Pippa would be independent, free from her parent’s influence. But how appealing the prospect was, she would never marry someone she didn’t love. Not for anything. She sighed heavily and wandered downstairs. Maybe the new gardener would be at work and she could meet him.


	2. A meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate and Pippa meet, it does not go well.  
> Ada calms Pippa down and Mildred being Mildred helps Hecate cope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I kept on writing. Your comments really help me.  
> I am not entirely satisfied with what I have written but I'm posting it, because otherwise I will keep changing and rewriting and not necessarily improving anything.  
> All mistakes are my own and I am sorry.  
> Also, forgive me for possibly projecting some of my own issues on these characters...

Hecate was tired already at ten o’clock in the morning. In an early meeting with miss Cackle, ‘now that we are colleagues, you should call me Ada’, where they went over her plans to bring the estate grounds back to their former glory, she discovered there were no garden maps. Algernon obviously didn’t need them as he designed half the gardens himself and knew them like the back of his hand. It was understandable but it granted Hecate the formidable task of mapping out the gardens on her own, before she could figure out which areas to prioritize.

She returned to the house after the meeting to get Gwen out of bed and meet the day nurse. Gwen had a routine that gave her structure and safety but she could always wake up early and wander around alone. The wandering itself wouldn’t be a problem, Hecate had dementia-proofed the house quite thoroughly, but she wouldn’t want Gwen to be scared and confused. Fortunately, the nurse was punctual and came across as a friendly and competent woman. Gwen seemed taken with her, so Hecate felt moderately all right in leaving them together for the day.

Although she wasn’t completely comfortable with the arrangement, she realised it’s necessity; Hecate needed a job or she would go stir-crazy and Gwen shouldn’t become afraid of strangers. The visit from Mildred Hubble had been an unexpected blessing. Gwen had recognised the girl, albeit as her mother Julie, and they had spent a couple of hours talking and playing the piano in the small living room. Mildred had promised to come back the next week with her mother, to give Hecate some much needed time to herself. But right now, Hecate was armed with papers, pencils and a laser distance measurer to start on the first of four garden maps. It was going to be a long week.

* * *

Pippa took a sip from her mug, wincing when she tasted the cold coffee. She had gotten distracted by an e-mail from a colleague asking her for help and now she felt as if she was being punished. She slapped both hands on the desk top and pushed her chair back with unnecessary force. The chair rolled against the book case with a thud as Pippa strode over to the window. At least the weather was better today, sunny and warm. Maybe not too warm for a long ride with Helix in the afternoon.

Movement in the corner of her eye brought her attention to someone standing in the front garden with pen and paper, penning down notes and measurements. What the bloody hell? That was daring, in the middle of the day, even if the house would’ve been empty. Pippa grabbed her mobile and rushed downstairs out the front door. “Excuse me!” Her voice was stark and angry. “What do you think you’re doing?” The person turned around and Pippa’s steps faltered when she realised it was a woman. As she was wearing a cap and sunglasses, Pippa couldn’t make out her face. “I beg your pardon?” The woman’s voice was low and her tone annoyed.

Pippa stopped a safe distance away. “You’ve got some nerve to scope out the place in the middle of the day.” The other woman physically reeled back. “Excuse me? Scope out? I am…” Pippa cut her off. “I’m sure you know what it means. It’s what thieves do before they rob a place.” The woman’s mouth opened in outrage. “Who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that?” The pencil in her hand broke with a snap. Pippa crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m the person whose house you’re trying to rob.” “For crying out loud, I am not a robber.” The woman tone had gone from angry to exasperated. Pippa gave a mirthless laugh. “Then explain to me what you’re doing here and why?” “With pleasure.”

But before the woman could continue her explanation, a ringtone was heard and she took a mobile out of her pocket. She held up her index finger to stall the conversation so she could answer it. Pippa threw up her hands and huffed. “Unbelievable.”

* * *

“ _Miss Hardbroom?”_ The voice on the other end sounded strained. “This is she.” Hecate heard the Pentangle woman huff in exasperation but she didn’t care. “ _This is Dizzy, the nurse with miss Bat. She’s in a panic. Could you help me calm her down?”_ She turned away from the woman standing in front of her. “Try to get Morgana close to her. That usually calms her somewhat. I will be there in ten minutes.”

She hung up her mobile and turned back to the Pentangle woman, who was glaring at her with her arms still crossed across her chest. “I have to go. I invite you to speak to miss Cackle. Good day.” As she walked away, Hecate heard an annoyed grunt and a sarcastic ‘good day’. She couldn’t help the smirk that cropped up on her face. The altercation had been unpleasant but she had the gratified feeling it had ended with her having the upper hand, immature though it may be.

As Hecate travelled back to Gwen’s house, she went over the argument again. It wasn’t a good way to meet her new employer, even though she believed the other woman was in the wrong. She probably should apologise for her behaviour the next time she saw her, if only to avoid any painful meetings in the future. The Pentangle woman didn’t seem like the type who would admit her own faults, so it would be up to Hecate to be the bigger person, which was fine with her. She would apologise and avoid any and all future interactions with that woman. Rich people were detestable. The unbelievable sense of entitlement they displayed made Hecate feel nauseated. She took a deep cleansing breath and picked up her speed to go sort out the situation with Gwen.

* * *

Pippa entered the kitchen with her foul mood showing on her face and in her upper body. Ada was adding freshly grounded coffee to the coffee maker and the smell made Pippa feel a little better. At least there’d be hot coffee soon. “Who is the woman in the garden?” She pushed the words out through gritted teeth, not wanting to start another a fight. Ada was her rock, the only person she could talk to and who understood her, the only person in her life she trusted.

“Pippa dear, you look positively peeved. What has happened?” Pippa grabbed on to the counter top and squeezed, taking slow, deep breaths. “Please Ada, the woman in the garden. Do you know her?” “You mean Hecate? She’s the new gardener.” Ada flipped the switch on the coffee maker and put her other hand on Pippa’s shoulder. “What has got you so perturbed, dear?” Pippa dropped her head between her arms. Of course she was the new gardener. That made _so_ _much_ more sense. The embarrassment she felt was almost enough to drown out her annoyance. Almost.

“Well, I met our new gardener.” She looked over her shoulder at the other woman. “And she almost bit my head off.” Ada stayed silent, regarded her with a serene expression, knowing Pippa would fill the silence and explain. She knew her well. “I may have misconstrued her presence in the garden but, in my defence, she was acting very strange. And before she could explain herself, she got a call and took off, telling me I should ask you.” “She mentioned that could happen.” Ada mused, more to herself than to Pippa. Then she looked up at her and flashed one of her forgiving smiles, making Pippa’s insides cringe. “Why don’t you sit down, dear. We’ll have a coffee, you can tell me the whole story and we can figure out where to go from here.”

* * *

“Mildred. Hubble.” The girl jumped a little at the sound of her name. “Did your mother never teach you that it is rather ill-mannered to stand in front of another’s door without announcing your presence?” “Miss Hardbroom!” The eyes that looked up at Hecate were big and anxious. “I’m sorry, miss Hardbroom. I was deciding if I should ring the bell.” Mildred was dressed in a school uniform with a backpack slung over her shoulder and Hecate thought this made her look considerably younger than her fourteen years. “And on what, pray tell, would that decision depend?” Mildred wrung her hands nervously so Hecate put her hand on the girl’s shoulder to calm her. “I thought you wouldn’t want me around two days in a row?” Hecate squeezed her shoulder lightly. “Even if that were true, it is not entirely up to me, is it? Should we maybe ask miss Bat what she wants? We are having tea in the back yard.”

She escorted the girl around the house to where Gwen was snoozing under a parasol with Morgana on her lap. “Gwen, look who came to visit you.” Gwen slowly opened her eyes and focused on Hecate before her eyes travelled to Mildred. “Hello.” She placed her hand on Morgana’s back and scratched her fur but soon her eyes closed and she seemed to drift off again. Mildred, on her way over to say hello, stopped in her tracks and turned to Hecate with a puzzled expression. “She has had an eventful morning, Mildred. She might wake up and join us later.” Hecate pointed her to a chair and sat down across the girl. Then she racked her brain: What does one talk about with a fourteen-year-old?

“Why don’t you tell me about what you are doing in school?” The sunny smile Mildred gave her let Hecate know she made the right choice, and she reclined cradling her tea while Mildred chattered on about her favourite subjects (art and English) and her favourite teacher (miss Booker, who taught math). “But I always have trouble with chemistry and biology and right now we're doing mitosis and meiosis and I keep getting them mixed up. I would be the worst scientist.” Hecate chuckled at the girl’s words. “I am not sure, Mildred. Perhaps you just need to approach it another way. You like art, you say. Do you have paper and a pencil?” Mildred eagerly opened her backpack and gave Hecate what she had asked for. “No Mildred. They are for you.” And as Hecate started to explain to the girl what cells and divisions she should draw to show how mitosis differed from meiosis, she felt the stress from the hectic morning leaver her body. She was starting to enjoy spending time with this girl.

* * *

This was just _perfect._ After a rotten, combative and embarrassing morning and a dull and stuffy afternoon, all Pippa wanted was to have a long and very hot bath with a glass of wine and a book (or possibly her vibrator if she found herself so inclined) but she had no such luck. It seemed that her day hadn’t been bad enough as the hot water heater had also decided to break down and they couldn’t find a repair man to come fix it before tomorrow morning. Dear Ada had offered to boil enough water on the stove to fill her bath but Pippa wouldn’t hear of it; She wasn’t and 18th century aristocrat’s wife, for goodness sake.

Maybe this was just what she deserved, after the way she lost her cool and insulted the new gardener. What must the woman think of her? She had jumped to conclusions and wouldn’t even let her explain herself. She had acted like an arrogant, entitled landowner dismissing a tenant. She had behaved like her own mother would. Just thinking about it made her ears burn and a lump form in her throat. Ever since she was a teenager, Pippa had tried not to copy her parents’ behaviour. She was determined to be kind, considerate and respectful to everyone no matter who they were, where they came from or how they treated her. It seemed like one bad morning would already countermand her resolutions.

“Oh, why’d that woman have to be so antagonistic?” Pippa muttered to herself. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. This rumination should stop now. It was time for a distraction. She would go and groom Helix. That would make her feel better. And maybe it had cooled down enough for a ride. The prospect cheered her up enough that she didn’t even mind the cold shower she would have to take on her return.


	3. An apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate and Pippa both apologize.  
> It does not make things better between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I adore you all for reading my story. There are so many better written fics on here.  
> This is a Hecate/Pippa centric chapter, cementing some animosity between them.  
> Next chapter, both Julie and Dimity will make an appearance, yay!

Hecate took a couple of tentative steps into the kitchen. “Miss Cackle?” The house felt muffled and still, too much room with too little life in it. Stepping further inside, she cast a cursory glance at a stack of books on the otherwise empty kitchen table. “Miss Cackle.” A little louder this time, hoping the Pentangle woman was not close enough to hear it. Hecate preferred to gather the consequences of the events of the previous morning from Ada, before she formulated her apology to the other woman. Not that she wouldn’t apologize either way, it would merely be nice to know how much of a bigger person she would need to be.

Lost in thought, she picked the topmost book from the stack and read its back-cover. It was a murder mystery, the protagonist a physicist that was helping the detective assigned to the case. Utterly unbelievable. She scoffed. Honestly, people will read anything. “Hecate.” She spun around so fast that she dropped the book. It hit the table before it tumbled to the floor. Hecate gracelessly ducked down to get it and put it back on the table.

“Miss Cackle.” The woman looked at her with a calm smile. “Hecate dear, I told you to call me Ada.” A little surprised that she was still allowed that liberty, Hecate nodded. “Come in to the study so we can talk.” And as she followed Ada through the hallway, she felt remarkably like a teen being escorted to the headmistress’s office.

* * *

Pippa rolled over with a groan. It was way too early, it was summer and it was a workday. How bad could life get? She stretched her frame and grumbled at the soreness in her thighs and lower back. She had taken a long ride after dinner the previous day and was frustratingly out of shape. The cold shower probably hadn’t helped matters. In an attempt to at least get a good night’s sleep, she had retired with her laptop and vibrator but this had still left her unsated. As she lay awake afterwards staring at her ceiling, she went over the argument with the gardener again and the embarrassment made her stomach contract painfully.

All in all, Pippa was tired, hurting and upset with herself and her life and she had to get up for a most unpleasant video conference call with some of her research team. After which she had decided to find the new gardener woman and apologize for her behaviour the previous day. With two things she dreaded in the morning, that blasted water heater had better be fixed so she could take a very long and relaxing bath during her lunch hour.

Pippa threw the covers away and slowly rose while scratching her neck. Would the gardener already be at work this early? She cast an inquiring glance out the window but didn’t see a soul outside. Her curiosity about the woman seemed to have grown since she had seen her and heard her speak. Even in her annoyance, her voice had been low and full, almost sensual. Pippa wondered what the woman’s voice would be like if she wasn’t angry, how a laugh would ring out. Apologizing suddenly didn’t seem so dreadful anymore.

* * *

“Thus, there really wasn’t an excuse for my behaviour yesterday, other than the surprise of being approached by Mrs Pentangle. I would like to apologize to her today.” Hecate had always found that to own up to any mistakes without making excuses made for simpler apologies and easier acceptance. And indeed, Ada was regarding her over her half-moon glasses as a forgiving headmistress would a contrite student. “That’s good, dear. It would be better if you and Pippa would get along.” Pippa. That was her name. A startling bourgeois name for someone who imagined herself nobility.

“Now, tell me.” Ada continued. “Did you solve the situation with your mother?” Hecate took a moment to gather her thoughts. Since she was still employed by the Pentangles, she needed more ways to accommodate Gwen. She couldn’t very well go home and stay with her every time Gwen panicked because she did not recognize the people around her. “The situation yesterday was resolved but I was hoping to discuss a solution with a little more stability with you.” Ada leaned back in her leather chair and waved her hands in a ‘go ahead’-manner. And as Hecate explained the situation and Gwen’s terror, she noticed the pity in the other woman’s eyes and it humiliated her. It was something she had not gotten used to in the six months since Algernon’s death. Noble though it may seem, it apparently also was pitiful for a thirty-four-year-old woman to uproot her life and quit her job to move out of the city and into her foster mother’s house to take care of her.

Hecate mentally shrugged it off as she proposed her solution. “If I could bring her with me on her bad days, then I could get the work done without worrying about her.” “But that is perfectly all right, Hecate. Mr. Rowan-Webb used to bring his wife with him as well. As I recall, she was also suffering from a form of dementia, coincidently.” This made Hecate smile. Of course, Algernon would bring Gwen with him, if he could. “Not exactly a coincidence, Ada. Although they never actually married, for all intents and purposes Gwen is the wife of Algernon Rowan-Webb.” Ada’s eye crinkled with her grand smile. “What a small world.”

* * *

“But that’s why we have Pippa on our team, right Alex?” Pippa plastered a fake smile on her face at the words. It would not do to show her annoyance at her colleague, insulting though his words were. Luckily, their supervisor was always respectful. “It is indeed a benefit that Pippa has unlimited access to the fabled Pentangle library, Rob, but let’s not forget she’s on our team because she is an excellent researcher and a skilled writer.” Rob had the decency to stop grinning and mumble something while he looked away from the screen.

Pippa felt her cheeks grow warmer and she quickly changed the subject. “This was a constructive meeting but if there isn’t anything else…” She trailed off, hoping Alex would get the hint and end the meeting. To Pippa’s relief he did, although Rob did manage to get the last word, before she signed off. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to have some help going through the materials in the library. We should consider that. I have some time this summer.” The fake smile made another appearance.

“Let’s discuss that in a future meeting.” She ground out. “I agree.” Alex was on her side, it seemed. She quickly closed her laptop with a heavy sigh, stood and stretched, feeling some of the tension leave her neck and shoulders. Grateful that Dimity would be back from holiday soon as Pippa craved to get back in shape and get rid of the tension that slipped into her muscles while she worked, she left to go find the gardener.

Walking across the grounds with two mugs of steaming coffee, Pippa went over what she should say to the gardener woman. She should probably stop calling her that, her name was Hecate. A very unusual name, mysterious and elegant. What would its owner be like, besides spirited and vague? The subject of her thoughts came into view sitting at the table in the pavillion, surrounded by papers and drawing something with a ruler and pencil. Pippa took a deep breath as she ascended the steps up to the platform, putting the coffee down on the one uncovered spot on the small table.

* * *

The morning had been very productive so far and Hecate was unexpectantly taking a lot of pleasure in mapping the gardens. She could see the logic in Algernon’s designs, both from an aesthetic and a horticultural point of view. The frog pond was a nice touch. Not surprising when you knew the designer but a very uncommon feature nonetheless and beautifully maintained. She had commandeered a table in a small gazebo in the middle of one of the lawns to draw the maps in detail, and she blamed the calculations she was muttering to herself for not noticing the Pentangle woman, Pippa, until she had almost reached the gazebo steps.

A cup of black coffee slid into her vision. “Peace offering.” came a whispered explanation. Hecate sat back and observed her, finding no disdain in her eyes. “Thank you.” She picked up the cup and inhaled the steam, this smelled like good coffee. “I also came to apologize. I really shouldn’t have said the things I said to you yesterday and I’m sorry.” Pippa had put her free hand in the front pocket of her jeans and kept looking away and back at Hecate, her ponytail swinging with the movement. “I appreciate that but you were not the only one in the wrong. I also regret what I said and apologize.” Hecate took a sip of her coffee, _great_ coffee, and glanced at Pippa sideways. Her stance was still insecure and she was biting her bottom lip. She tried to figure out where this apprehension came from, didn’t Pippa know she held all the power in this exchange?

“So, what are you doing? I thought gardening would be more along the lines of hands in the dirt, as opposed to this.” She had stepped a little closer, her hip leaning against the table, and she waved her free hand over the papers. Hecate leaned over the table and gathered some of her notes together. If Pippa was intend on staying, she might as well give her some space. “There has been some neglect. I’m mapping the gardens and the state of the vegetation to see where to focus my work.” She shot Pippa a challenging look. “The dirty work will start soon enough, do not worry.”

* * *

Pippa wondered if she’d imagined the challenge in Hecate’s eyes but the tone of voice she used didn’t warrant any doubt. She almost heard the ‘your pretty little head about it’ after the statement. Raising her eyebrows in puzzlement, she took a step back. “I won’t.” She cradled her coffee in both hands and hid her mouth behind it. “I was just being curious.” Pippa was flustered, anxious and unsure of herself, and there was something about the other woman that disturbed her faculties.

She noticed Hecate’s beauty this time around – big, dark eyes, a majestic face, ruby lips and a head of soft-looking dark curls in a messy bun – but for goodness sake, she wasn’t a teenager anymore. Why would it affect her so? Hecate had picked up her coffee again and tilted her head. “I understand. You want your money’s worth, of course.” Pippa let her jaw fall. “That’s…. not what I meant but okay.” The words had hurt and she was sure Hecate could see it in her eyes. She was starting to look at Pippa with something akin to pity. That really won’t do.

“There’s really no need for you to be so combative, you know? I’m really only trying to be nice.” Trying, but not succeeding, she thought, but it would make her seem very weak if she’d said that out loud. Instead, she smiled at the other woman as Hecate apologized again. The apology was fake as was the smile that followed it but Pippa didn’t challenge it. She bowed her head to look into her coffee.

While the silence simmered, she felt the Hecate’s eyes on her as she took a large gulp of coffee. Never comfortable with silences, Pippa schooled her face into some semblance of neutrality before she looked up. “I should let you get back to work.” She spoke barely above a whisper and turned around as she said it but Hecate heard. “Thank you.” It almost sounded tender, compared to everything else that the other woman had said. “And thank you for the coffee.” Pippa did not look back as she walked away, feeling about as shoddy as before she’d apologized.


	4. A friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate meets Julie and she likes her surprisingly well.  
> Dimity is intrigued by the new addition to the Pentangle estate and goes to investigate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another chapter.  
> I hope you don't think the story is going too slow.  
> I will pick up the pace in later chapters.
> 
> And Pippa is just a sad little kitten but it'll get better, I promise.

“This a surprise.” Mildred jumped and turned towards Hecate. “Miss Hardbroom! How do you do that?” The girl was a little out of breath from the shock but her eyes housed a happy twinkle. “Years of practice, Mildred. Would you like to come inside?” Mildred nodded and happily followed her into the kitchen. She eyed the bowls and baking utensils on the counter. “Are you making something?” Stepping out of her shoes by the door she stood on her toes to peer into the bowls. “Can I help?”

Hecate tilted her head and regarded the girl for a second. “Mildred, what does your mother think of you spending so much time here?” “My mum?” Mildred had scooted closer to a bowl of dough and tried to swipe her finger through it, before Hecate gently nudged her arm away. “She knows I’m here and she trusts me. I’m not a little kid.” Mildred set her mouth in challenge and Hecate rolled her eyes affectionately. “I never said you were.” The girl shrugged and scooted up on the kitchen table, swinging her legs and playing with one of her braids.

“I just wanted to get out of the house, ‘cause it’s Sunday and it’s summer. But my friend Maud is at her grandparents’ house and my other friend Enid doesn’t get out of bed before three in the afternoon, and we spent yesterday finishing our chemistry essays, and today Mum wanted to do the floors and didn’t need me getting in the way, knocking things over.” Mildred took a deep breath and she watched Hecate process the jumble of words. “Mum wants to come by later, if that’s okay."

A small chuckle escaped Hecate’s mouth. “That would be fine.” She waved her arm over the items on the counter. “I am making apple pie, Gwen’s favourite. It is nearly ready to go into the oven but I would appreciate your help.” Mildred eagerly bounced from the table to the counter. At Hecate’s pointed finger she diverted to the sink to wash her hands. “And while the pie is in the oven, you can show me that chemistry essay you are struggling with.”

* * *

Utter bliss. Pippa was submerged up to her neck in the foamy water, eyes closed, mouth relaxed. She felt the warmth seep into her muscles and uttered a happy sigh. Today would be a day of pampering, she had decided, while she was making a very elaborate breakfast. The moment she woke up that morning, she’d felt unsettled, as if she had lost something important.

She’d had a well-known dream that night, one that had made an appearance quite regularly when she was younger, one that always left her lonely and wanting. In the dream, Pippa and her family were at their summer house at the coast. She was young, five or six, and there were sandcastles and sea shells and the air smelled salty and fresh. But what made the dream so bittersweet was the affection Pippa received from a woman. Six-year-old Pippa was cuddled and kissed on her brow, her hair was brushed and stroked and she sat on the woman’s lap while a story was read to her. She didn’t think it was her own mother, because the woman had dark hair and Pippa’s mother was a blonde. Besides, in her dream, she felt utterly safe and secure, cherished and loved, all things her mother never really made her feel.

Pippa had always suspected that the dream was part of a real memory, that the woman was someone she had really known back then. As a teenager, she had poured through the family photo albums to find any evidence of that particular holiday although her parents weren’t really the type to take candid shots. However, in the back of her brother’s baby album, she had found some loose photos. In one of them Pippa was dancing on the beach, her hands in those of another girl. They were the same height, around the same age and were both laughing. On the edge of the shot, almost out of frame, sat a woman with dark hair in the sand, watching them. The woman was a little out of focus but, on seeing her, Pippa had felt a warmth spread through her chest.

She had asked her parents about the other girl and the woman in the photo but they hadn’t known who they were. ‘Probably just a friend you made.’ her father had said. But Pippa didn’t make friends, had hardly ever had friends. Her brother Frederick was the one who easily made friends and wrapped people around his finger. Resigning to it remaining a mystery, Pippa had taken the photo and kept it in her favourite book, treasuring it until this day. But the dream, that dream always made her feel more alone than she normally did. So she needed this day, to spoil herself, to stave off some of the solitude of her everyday life.

* * *

Two Hubbles just barely fit in Gwen’s small house. It was no feat of imagination to guess from whom Mildred had gotten her bubbly personality and her stormy chattering as well as her kind nature. Mildred’s mother, Julie, had arrived a half hour before and had since shared the happenings of her entire weekend with them, while Hecate had made tea and cut two pieces of apple pie for Gwen and Mildred, who were now seated on the other end of the kitchen table blissfully silent.

“Wait, you’re the little girl that would ofttimes be reading on Miss Bat’s couch while I had my piano lessons?” Hecate raised her head from where she had been staring into the darkness of her tea. “Yes, Gwen would watch me after school when my father was at work.” Mildred looked up with a scrunched brow. “You told me miss Bat’s your foster mother.” Both Hubbles were now looking at her, Julie cradling her tea and Mildred with a forkful of apple pie halfway to her mouth. “My father died when I was almost your age, Mildred. Miss Bat took me in and had foster training. She wished me not to end up in a foster home. I lived with her until I went to university.”

Mildred looked as if she was doing difficult mental arithmetic but Julie’s face cleared up instantly. “And that’s when she moved to this house and reconnected with mister Rowan-Webb.” Hecate nodded. “They had reconciled a few years before, actually. And this was her childhood home.” “You didn’t have a mum?” Mildred’s voice was small and sad and she had moved closer to her own mother, who put an arm around her shoulder. “Millie love, miss Hardbroom may not want to talk about her mum now, does she?” “It is fine, Mildred.” Hecate tried to comfort the girl with her tone. “My mother had also died, when I was much younger.” There were tears in Mildred’s eyes as she scooted closer to her mother.

Hecate turned to Gwen with a small smile. “Gwen became my mother.” She took a gulp of hot tea to compose herself, remembering the homey years she spent living with Gwen. “This one won the school STEM fair five years in a row.” Gwen interjected all of a sudden. Mildred bolted upright but Julie just chuckled. “She did? What did she make?” And as Gwen begun to – inaccurately – describe one of the projects with which Hecate had entered the school fair, Hecate leaned in, put her arm around the woman and smiled. Gwen had a good day.

* * *

“Focus, Pippa.” Dimity’s voice was soft but strict. “I suppose you haven’t kept up my rigorous schedule when I was on the hols but that’s no reason to slack off now.” Pippa giggled. “I rode Helix at least three times a week, I’ll have you know.” Dimity scoffed as she leaned down to correct the arch of Pippa’s back. “Try to put some of your weight on your hips and bend your elbows a tad.” Pippa smiled. That felt better.

“Anything interesting happen when I was away?” Dimity put her hands on Pippa’s hips to slowly guide her to the next position. “It’s been bloody boring, actually. I’m glad you’re back.” Dimity grinned as she appeared in Pippa’s vision. ‘Really? It’s been boring? Nothing has changed? There’s been no influx of something tall, dark and gorgeous?” Pippa raised her eyebrows. “Huh?” “I would say _that…”_ And Dimity pointed to something over Pippa’s shoulder. “Is bloody interesting. Who’s she?” Pippa did not have to look to see who Dimity was talking about but she did anyway. “That’s Hecate, the new gardener.”

Hecate seemed to be clearing out the tool shed, placing things in a wheel barrow and writing some things down on a clip board. She was in dark fitted jeans and a short sleeved top, her hair in a braid down her back. She looked good. Dimity whistled. “She appears to be in good shape, too. Tell me you’ve been trying to get with that.” “Dimity!” Pippa turned back to Dimity and dropped her head as she felt her face flush. “What makes you think I’m even interested?”

At that, Dimity let out a low rumble of a laugh. “That flush, for one. Your tone, for another.” Pippa felt her flush deepen and Dimity smiled smugly as she nudged Pippa’s shoulders into the next position. “And don’t forget that I know you, Pippa. You’ve always been partial to the pale-skinned dark-haired members of the fairer sex.” Pippa rolled her eyes at Dimity’s colourful term of phrase. “Fine then. What makes you think she’d be interested? What makes you think _she’s_ partial to members of the fairer sex?” The strain in her shoulder muscles caused Pippa to gasp her questions.

Dimity tilted her head in thought for a few seconds. “You’re right, of course, but there’s a fairly obvious way to find out.” She stood up from her crouch. “You take five. I’ll be back soon.” And as Dimity resolutely strode towards Hecate, Pippa could only turn her head, her mouth hanging open, to watch Dimity walk away. This was a very bad idea…

* * *

She really should not be surprised about the level of neglect. The Pentangle tool shed could have been every gardener’s dream, filled to the brim with all manner of gardening equipment and materials, organised with the utmost care. Unfortunately, most of the tools were in an advanced state of disrepair or covered in rust. Hecate had started a list of things that needed to be replaced and those she could probably save with a good cleaning, sharpening and/or oiling. Then there were the bags of manure and potting soil that had started their own fungal ecosystem. The smell was fascinatingly bad and she decided to postpone their removal until the day the rubbish would be collected. No reason to expose other people to that stench.

As she took a much needed rehydration break, Hecate saw Pippa and another woman in the distance doing some kind of yoga exercises. The other woman wore loose fitting three-quarter pants and a sports jacket in a ridiculous shade of turquois while Pippa was in pink leggings and a black sports bra. Pippa looked good. The leggings hugged her nicely shaped rear and Hecate couldn’t help but take a peek every once in a while. She may not like the woman but she could appreciate the view. Going over the contents of a paper bag of flower bulbs, she noticed the woman in turquois coming her way. Oh darn. Had she been caught out? She doubted the distance would allow the two women to see the way she was looking at Pippa’s bum but, then again, she would not assume anything.

“Hiya!” The woman cheered in greeting as she came close enough for Hecate to see the intricate pattern of the dreads piled on her head. “Just came to introduce myself. Name’s Dimity. Dimity Drill. I work out with Pippa.” Hecate introduced herself and shook her hand. “You are a personal trainer?” “More a fitness trainer/physical therapist combo. Pippa’s work tends to tense her upper body.” Dimity gazed appreciatively over her shoulders and chest, causing Hecate’s cheeks to flush and her eyebrows to shoot towards her hairline. “Something I’m sure you don’t have any problems with.” Dimity smiled coyly. “But if you ever do, I would happily extend my services.” Hmm… The woman was flirting with her. Interesting. Hecate gave a silky smile back. “I believe you would.”

* * *

Pippa couldn’t believe her eyes. In their interactions, Hecate had only ever been short and curt, polite but aloof, hardly ever smiling, and here she was merrily talking to Dimity, for a freaking ten minutes already. She heard Dimity laugh ring out and saw her reach out a hand and touch Hecate’s upper arm. Pippa felt a pang of jealousy for Dimity’s easy way of making contact with others, her comfort in social situations. But most of all, she was jealous because she wanted to receive that kind of attention from Hecate, if only because that woman was interesting. Pippa wanted to get to know her, know her opinions, see whether she could be someone that could break the dull routine of her days. And yes, she was also stunning but Pippa could resign herself to being no more than friends. Then at least she would have _something_.

She was so consumed in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed Dimity’s return until the other woman plopped down next to her. She laughed at Pippa’s demanding look. “Oh yes!” She chuckled. “That woman’s into women for sure. I would also bet my pretty little bonnet that she doesn’t even have a fleeting interest in blokes.” Pippa punched her lightly on the arm. “You were flirting with her!” She spoke in a light teasing tone, to cover the hurt she actually felt. Dimity threw her hands up in mock exasperation. “How did you expect me to figure it out otherwise?” She lay down on her back with a sigh and put her hands under her head. “Besides, if you’ll not make a move soon, I may. She’s too hot to be alone.”

Pippa looked back at Hecate, who appeared to have gathered all she needed in the wheel barrow and was rolling it towards the back of the house. As Pippa watched her walk away, she felt a tightening in her stomach, not entirely unpleasant. Dimity, who’d sat up again, bumped her shoulder against Pippa’s. “Come on, Pippa. What’s stopping you?” Pippa scoffed. “That woman hates me. Why would I want to date her?” Dimity looked back at her in disbelief. “Who said anything about dating? Just have fun, have some excitement in your life, get out of that ridiculously long dry spell you’ve been in.” Dry spell, indeed. If Dimity only knew… Pippa quickly stood up and brushed the dirt from her clothes. “Shall we continue?” Dimity sighed but followed her, instructing her towards the next position. “Just so you know, you’re also too hot to be alone.” She added softly.


	5. A shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A steamy situation makes Pippa and Hecate get to know each other better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a very busy week for me and I'm so happy I've managed to finish this chapter as well.  
> I love all the kudos and the comments!  
> Feel free to let me know any ideas you might have for this story :)

“Isn’t our garden beautiful?” Gwen’s eyes shone as she asked the question. “You take such good care of it.” Hecate smiled. “I try.” She steered Gwen to a shaded place around a table on the back terrace of the Pentangle estate. “Would you like to sit here, Gwen? I will get you a cup of tea.” She placed the stack of garden magazines in front of Gwen and took a step back, watching for a bit. Gwen seemed to be perfectly okay sitting there and looking around, so Hecate quickly stepped into the house, running into Ada. “Good morning, Hecate. I see you brought Gwen. How is she?” “It has been a difficult morning, unfortunately. She has calmed down but I did not wish to leave her with the nurse today.” Ada nodded in understanding as she filled the kettle and put it on the stove. “Perfectly all right, of course. She is always welcome. Would you like me to sit with her for a spell today?” Through the kitchen window, Hecate saw Gwen stare in the direction of the stables, while she ran her fingers over the magazines. “Thank you, Ada, but I could not ask that from you. I’m sure you are quite busy.” Ada tilted her head and seemed to be pondering her words. “Even if I was, I’m allowed regular breaks and no one can stop me spending them out there at the terrace table.” She padded Hecate’s arm in a comforting fashion. “You just let me know when you need me to sit with her, agreed?” Hecate pursed her lips. This was not what she had intended when she expressed her wish to bring Gwen once in a while. She could not, in good conscience, let the woman that hired her take on a babysitting role so Hecate could focus on some of the more demanding gardening tasks. On the other hand, she had planned to clear out the bags of rotting manure and soil this afternoon, and it would be difficult to move the bags from the shed to the bins, while simultaneously keeping an eye on Gwen. The rubbish would be collected the next morning, so it was either today or wait another week, and that would utterly bobble her schedule. She cleared her throat. “If you honestly could spare the time, it would be very helpful if you would sit with her for half an hour later this afternoon. Perhaps around four?” Ada had stepped away to make tea and was busy adding cups, milk, lemon and honey to a tray. “Splendid. I’m sure Gwen and I will get along just fine, Hecate.” She picked up the tray and raised her chin towards the door and Hecate rushed to open it for her. “Now, will you and Gwen join me for a cup of tea?”

* * *

“Ada?” Pippa strolled into the kitchen, eyes sweeping through the room. Where was that woman? She peered into the scullery and the laundry room, finding them both empty. She sighed unhappily. It wasn’t that she minded telling her father that Ada wasn’t around and would have to ring him back, she just didn’t want him to migrate his attention to her. She had heard enough of his boasts that the Pentangles were assuredly related to royalty and if Pippa would just work harder and longer, she’d find the irrefutable evidence in their library. Never mind that Pippa didn’t like genealogical research, was stressed enough already and certainly didn’t care whether the Pentangles were royal descendants, she had to make her parents proud. It was, after all, the only reason they had paid for her university degree in something as menial as history. Pippa called out for Ada one more time, and had resigned herself to having to speak to her father about her research – or to accidentally disconnect the line – when her eyes fell on a head full of dark curls through the kitchen window. Hecate was sitting at the terrace table with a grey-haired woman and Ada. Pippa closed her eyes and said a silent thank you to all that was good and just, before she stepped outside and approached the table. “… enjoy a view of a lush spot of green with my tea.” Ada clapped her hands together and Hecate hummed in agreement. “Pippa dear, come to join us?” Hecate looked up at Pippa, who stared at her before she moved her glance to Ada. “Father’s on the phone, Ada. Something amiss with property tax.” “Oh dear.” Ada exclaimed softly. “Will you excuse me, ladies?” She scooted past Pippa and back into the house. An awkward silence followed, wherein Pippa was trying to not seem as though she didn’t know where to look, what to say and how to hold her arms. “Well, I’ll just be off then.” She slowly turned and looked closely at the other woman at the table for the first time, almost doing a physical double take. “Gwen?” The older woman raised hazy eyes at her. “It’s good to see you. How’ve you been?” “Oh hello dear. Have you come to see me?” Pippa looked back at Hecate, who was regarding Gwen with tenderness in her eyes. It made Pippa feel warm and fuzzy inside. “I have, Gwen. It’s been a long time.” Gwen nodded and then averted her gaze. “I seem to have lost my bearings. Could you point me to the loo, dear?” Pippa was about to show her to the toilet, when Hecate pushed her chair back with a scraping sound. “Why don’t I take you, Gwen? I could use a little freshening up myself.” Hecate attentively helped the older woman out of her chair and they shuffled inside, leaving Pippa by the table, forlorn and a little confused.

* * *

Her fatigue was to blame for the accident. She was in good physical shape and had been careful not to overtax herself, her upper body strength would never match that of Algernon in his good days – simple biology - but after lifting and moving six fifty pound bags of manure, Hecate was flagging. One final bag of manure was placed on a shelf above her head, for some dark and twisted reason. She had been careful when she pulled it out, the bag was wet, the roof above it must have a leak. Then the bag had ripped and she was covered from head to toe in wet manure. It covered her hair and had gotten under her shirt, the stink was indescribable. Feeling thoroughly grimy, she had swept the floor and scooped the loose manure in the wheel barrow, wheeling it to the terrace. Ada had grinned but wisely kept her mouth shut when she noticed her condition, offering her use of the shower in the laundry room and some clean clothes. Which is how Hecate found herself washing her hair for the second time in ten minutes and shivering as if she was still covered in cow dung. She increased the heat of the water and let her mind wander. It was a rare occurrence that she had time to herself in the middle of the day, at least in the last six months. She loved Gwen more than she loved anyone, being the only mother Hecate could remember, and Gwen’s clear moments made it worth all the bother of planning the days, the pity she saw in other’s eyes and even the growing loneliness in her life. Only, on some days, in weak moments, when everything seemed to go awry, she wished she had been more selfish and had let Gwen go to a care home. Then Hecate would not had moved away from her job, her friends and her students, to end up in a lazy town in a particularly uneventful life. Of course, she could never be so self-centred, not when Gwen was still so lucid at times. Strangely, Hecate thanked her lucky stars for the visits from Mildred Hubble, restless and vivacious as she was. The girl reminded Hecate of her former life and engaged her in somewhat captivating matters, even if it was only secondary school science. There was something comforting in spending time with teenagers again, even if they tested her patience. Hecate was almost homesick. With a shake of her head, she cleared up, turned off the tap and tied a towel around her chest, stepping out of the shower dripping, steamy and flushed.

* * *

As she was about to mount Helix, she noticed the tear in her breeches. She almost didn’t care enough, annoyed at having to postpone her ride, but common sense intervened. Riding with torn clothing was never a good idea and Pippa didn’t even want to imagine how awfully boring the summer would be if she was too wounded to ride. She tied Helix to the stable door and jogged back to the house to change. There should be a clean pair of breeches hanging in the laundry room. Waving to Gwen, who was watching her return to the house, she took the side door into the scullery. Without pausing she continued to the laundry room beyond. It took her a while to register the steamy warmth in the room and as she noticed the other occupant, she stopped in her tracks, eyes bulging and heart racing. So! Much! Skin! There were shoulders, clavicles and a long neck, uncovered arms and miles of leg, glowing wet and toned, pale as alabaster but with a healthy flush. Pippa’s mouth went dry just as sweat coated her face and neck. She stared at a patch of thigh just below the hem of the towel, wondering what it would be like to touch the skin there, warm and damp from the shower. She forced her eyes to travel up, to the hair that was thrown over one shoulder and the hands that were running through it, getting the tangles out. To the place where the towel was tied over breasts, showing some cleavage, and further upwards to the face of Hecate, who was watching her with an incredulous expression, one eyebrow raised and her head tilted to the side. Gulping audibly, Pippa took a small step backwards, unable to look away from Hecate’s face and simultaneously helpless in finding the right words to explain her presence. It didn’t even occur to her that her own appearance in the room was a lot less inexplicable than Hecate’s. She opened her mouth and closed it again ere she was able to form coherent words, and when she did, only a barely perceptible ‘sorry’ came out. Hecate turned away to pick up a second towel and started drying her hair, her lips in a small smile. It made Pippa wonder whether Hecate had guessed everything that had been running through her mind in the last few minutes. Trying to gather some moisture in her mouth, Pippa swallowed and cleared her throat. Hecate looked back at her. “No worries. I must have forgotten to lock the door.” In confusion, Pippa looked over her shoulder to the door, as if that would clear something up. “Uhm, sure.” she stammered as she turned back. “I think I may have used your shampoo. I hope I haven’t overstepped?” Pippa didn’t dare answer, so she just shook her head. “I would be happy to reimburse you for it.”

* * *

There was something absurdly comical about the expression on Pippa’s face as she noticed Hecate’s state of undress. The blush on her face could rival the reddest of tomatoes and her eyes had grown to twice their size. She noticed Pippa looking her up and down, wavering when she reached her thighs, and the soft frown on the other woman’s brow gave Hecate a good idea of the thoughts that went through her head. She tampered down the grin that was threatening to appear on her face, schooling her features in a serious, somewhat cross, expression, before Pippa’s eyes reached it. Hecate had never really been self-conscious about her body, especially not around other women. If a man would act the way Pippa was now, Hecate would not hesitate to scowl, admonish and be outraged, but the manner in which Pippa was trying to bring herself in line again was amusing her to no end. She saw more than heard the apology and went on to dry her hair, as if Pippa wasn’t even there. She wondered how long it would take the other woman to remember why she came into the room in the first place. The silence only lasted a couple of seconds until Pippa cleared her throat and Hecate decided to put her out of her misery. She had not noticed a lock on the door but figured it must have to be there, since the room had a shower. Pippa’s response was no more comprehensible than her apology, so Hecate changed tacks and gave Pippa an opening to ask her why she had been showering. She did not and, apparently, also wasn’t interested in being reimbursed for the use of her shampoo. Turning to the mirror, Hecate started French braiding her hair, removing the last tangles along the way. In the mirror’s reflection she noticed Pippa looking at the braiding fingers as if hypnotized. “Am I in your way, Pippa?” Hecate hoped the use of her name would finally snap Pippa out of it. It seemed to work, since the woman managed to utter a complete sentence. “I actually forgot why I came here…” The blush on her cheeks, that had never completely disappeared, deepened again. “Are you related to Gwen?” Pippa appeared somewhat aghast at asking the question, distracting Hecate from her own surprise. She turned around to look Pippa in the eye, hands continuing the braid at the back of her head. “In a way I am probably the closest relative Gwen has.” Pippa looked confused for a moment and then appeared to shake it off. “I’ve always wondered what happened to her after mister Rowan-Webb passed away.”

* * *

There was little doubt, Hecate knew what she’d been thinking just now. Pippa had never been more embarrassed at her own behaviour in her entire adult life. She realized that Hecate was trying to defuse the situation by giving her openings to start a neutral chat but Pippa felt way too discombobulated to follow up on them. Eventually, she blurted out a query that she had been puzzling over since that morning and although Hecate’s response only partially cleared it up, it did help her to focus on something else. “How’s she doing?” Hecate moved her hair over one shoulder to braid it to the ends. Pippa was mesmerized. Hecate’s fingers were long, elegant, very flexible and thinking about them made a small flame heat Pippa’s lower belly. “She has her good and bad moments but she feels safe with me.” Hecate got to the end of her braid and stared at it in chagrin for a moment before she used some elaborate finger movement to tie the hair together. “That’s great. Gwen’s so lucky to have you.” Hecate tilted her head as if to gauge her meaning and a look of surprise crossed her face. “I suppose.” She reached past Pippa to a pile of clothes on the washing machine and a waft of coconut and petrichor followed in her wake. Pippa felt a little weak-kneed at the closeness. “She really is. And the way you’re being there for her is truly wonderful.” Hecate unfolded a pair of jeans and stepped into them, pulling them up under the towel. She seemed a little abashed, not making eye contact while she slipped on a flannel shirt over her towel. “It is.” Pippa assured her. Hecate just regarded her, as she slowly disentangled the towel from under the shirt. “Thank you.” She turned around to look at herself in the mirror and grimaced, then sighed and shrugged one shoulder as she turned back. “It is no more than she deserves. She has always been there for me when I needed her.” As Hecate folded her towels, Pippa followed her movements, suddenly feeling fuzzy in her head and swaying a little on her feet. A hand on her elbow steadied her and Hecate’s face was close. “Pippa? Are you okay?” Hecate’s voice had a tinge of worry and she was frowning at her. “I think so?” A strand of hair had escaped from her braid and was plastered to her cheek, drops of water trickling off the end along her neck into her shirt. Pippa couldn’t help but follow the tiny stream. “It looked like you were about to keel over.” She forced herself to look up at Hecate’s eyes, regretting it immediately when she lost the ability to breathe. “I probably should eat something.” She managed to croak out. Hecate stepped away but did not let go of her elbow. “Let’s go then.” Giving her elbow a little nudge, Hecate got her to move towards the door to the scullery. Her knees were wobbly and she wasn’t sure how much of that was from hunger. She stopped halfway to the kitchen and turned around. “Thank you.” Hecate smiled and nudged her again.


	6. A daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate and julie make a deal that eases both their worries and makes Gwen a happier camper.
> 
> Pippa draws an erroneous conclusion which is really all Mildred's fault, for answering a question literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO much for all the nice comments.  
> I probably will update weekly from now on, I cannot work faster anymore.  
> Have you also noticed that the chapters are gradually getting longer?  
> That really wasn't planned on my part.
> 
> Mistakes are my own. Hopefully there are not many :)

“We brought lunch.” Mildred bounded into the kitchen, only a little more subduedly followed by her mother. “Vegetable quiche, pasta salad and banana bread.” Julie grinned at Hecate’s quirked eyebrow. “Leftovers.” She put a dish and a loaf of bread on the table. “I hope that’s okay?” Hecate inclined her head. “It sounds delicious.” She started setting the table and kept a watchful eye on Mildred, who was talking to Gwen in the living room. The preceding week had been especially difficult, with only one nurse who lasted the day and many nightly episodes of terror. It also had been more than a week since Gwen was lucid enough to recognize her. She really hoped it was just a phase. “You look knackered, love.” Julie pulled her out of her thoughts, looking at her with concern. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll get you a cuppa.” Hecate let herself fall into the nearest chair and put her head in her hands. Mildred had coaxed Gwen to the piano and started playing Scott Joplin’s the Entertainer. It did not take long for Gwen to start accompanying her with the left hand chords. A steaming cup of coffee appeared under Hecate’s face and Julie slid into the seat next to her. “Talk to me, Hecate. Maybe I can help?” Hecate raised her head and looked at the other woman through her fingers. “I apologize. I have not been sleeping well this week.” Over Julie’s shoulder, she could see Gwen swaying to the music, appearing content and calm. The repetition of the melody was probably helping her relax. The way Mildred seemed to sense how to approach Gwen still surprised Hecate. “Does the music bother you?” Julie asked her but Hecate quickly shook her head. She had wondered the same for Julie. “I am really grateful for Mildred at the moment. Gwen had a bad week and needs this.” Julie tilted her head to the side and gently pulled Hecate’s hands away from her face to be able to look her in the eye. “And what do you need?” Behind Julie, Gwen stopped playing to put an arm around Mildred and kiss her on her head, reminding Hecate of the years she lived with Gwen in her teens. They had spent countless hours playing Gwen’s piano together, everything from classical to modern music, eventually composing their own melodies. She looked back at Julie and sighed. “I need a few more people like you and Mildred in Gwen’s life. Is there an agency for that?” Julie laughed. “Not that I know but I might be able to help you. I am a nurse, you know?” Hecate just stared at her, not following. “After coming back from the leave of absence I took to care for my sister, I’ve been stuck in shoddy shifts at work. I would trade those any day to help you take care of Gwen.” Hecate blinked. “You would?” She hadn’t considered that Julie was the type of nurse that she could hire, though both her and Mildred did seem to have a natural grace in dealing with Gwen. “I am sure I cannot afford you.” Julie smiled and put her hand on Hecate’s to give it a small squeeze. “And I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

* * *

“That was great, Pippa. Thanks for inviting me.” Dimity nimbly dismounted and guided the mare into the shade of the stables. “I missed this little lady and I think she’s been awfully bored, haven’t you, Grace?” Pippa smiled as she started untacking Helix. “You’re probably right.” It had been fun to ride together. It was one of the few things she missed with her brother away at the summer house. “Great that you could join me, Dimity. I hope it wasn’t too early on your Sunday?” Dimity hung her saddle on the rack and waved her arm in a shooing manner towards Pippa. “It wasn’t. Friday night is for dancing. Saturday night for dates but I didn’t have one last night. This was perfect.” Pippa grinned, amused and a little jealous at Dimity’s very active social life. Though she always made sure Pippa knew there was an open invitation for her to join, she just never felt comfortable socialising in a group, especially when there was loud music preventing them from interacting without having to yell. Pippa certainly never had dates because she hardly ever met someone. “Well, you’re always welcome to join me. I miss someone to ride with. And I think Helix enjoyed it too.” Pippa moved the brush over Helix’s coat, taking pleasure in the way it shone with every stroke. Behind her, she heard Dimity start on Grace’s hoofs. “I may take you up on that, Pentangle.” Pippa looked over her shoulder and smiled. Her solitary summer was beginning to look better with Dimity’s return and some sort of careful understanding she was starting to form with Hecate. She went back to brushing Helix, bending down to work on his barrel. They spent a couple of silent minutes grooming the horses. When Pippa stood upright again, Dimity was suddenly very close. “Speaking of dates. Have there been any developments?” She wagged her eyebrows in a suggestive manner, making Pippa flush furiously. Dimity grinned. “There have, right? Spill!” Pippa bit her lip. “I may have walked in on her in the shower.” She looked away, lest Dimity see the shame and arousal that accompanied the memory. Dimity face broke into an enormous smile. “That is pure gold! How’d she react?” Pippa still didn’t look at her. Instead, she walked to the cupboard to replace the brush with a hoof pick. “She didn’t seem to mind, actually.” Pippa was still surprised and in awe with Hecate’s reaction. In the short time since they met, Pippa had - not entirely intentional - managed to needle her twice, and both times Hecate had been mostly cool and composed. Dimity whistled. “That’s a very good sign.” Pippa finally looked at the other woman and tilted her head. “You think so?” Dimity nodded knowingly before she walked back to Grace and started to brush her coat as Pippa bent down to work on Helix’s hoofs. “But wait. Why the bloody hell was she showering?” “Funny story…”

* * *

Hecate closed the door to Gwen’s bedroom and blew out a breath. Julie and Mildred were watching her from the sofa. “Let’s hope she stays down now. Gives us time to make plans.” Hecate smiled at Julie. “I’ll put on the tea first.” Mildred came to stand next to her as Hecate filled the kettle. She put one of her braids into her mouth and chewed on it. “Is there something bothering you, Mildred?” Mildred nodded and looked at her with big, anxious eyes. “Miss Bat kept calling me Hecate, while we were playing the piano.” Hecate smiled at her. “And how do you feel about that?” She fiddled with the stove, giving Mildred time to think about her answer. “A little guilty, I think? And sad. And upset.” “All very understandable.” Putting a hand on Mildred’s shoulder, she guided her back towards the living room. “But unnecessary. You have done nothing wrong and Gwen was very happy while playing with you. Did you notice that?” Mildred plunked down on the sofa and threw up her hands. “But she thought I was you. And you were right there!” With her arms on the back of an armchair facing the sofa, Hecate looked at the Hubbles, comparing them with the image of herself as a teen. “You do look a bit like me, when I was your age, Mildred. I certainly cannot blame her.” Mildred visibly perked up. “Really? I look like you? Do you have photos? Can I see?” Hecate chuckled at the girl’s enthusiasm but turned towards the oak armoire in the corner, searching through the albums until she found the one that said ‘ _Hecate, ages 13-15’._ She handed it to Mildred and went back to kitchen to finish making their tea. Julie’s laugh rang out and Mildred giggled intermittently at the photos, which wasn't surprising. Gwen had taken to being a foster mother with unbridled eagerness, buying a camera and taking down any and all moments in Hecate’s life she thought would be worth recording. She was less discriminate than she could have been and her albums were full of photos of teen-Hecate studying, having a lie in, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, and worst of all, trying to tame her hair. Having lost the one person who could teach her how to handle her unruly curls and the other person who made her keep her hair cropped, she had to figure it out herself and that had taken a few years. Gwen was more than happy to snap a photo before and after each treatment, saying it was a mother’s prerogative to have embarrassing material to show at her daughter’s wedding or graduation. The sentiment was so domestic and lovely and entirely new to Hecate, that she couldn’t even be a little humiliated. She could only smile or grin at Gwen every time she captured another ridiculous moment for posterity. As she returned to the living room, she found Julie in tears draped sideways on the sofa and Mildred with a face like a beet. Shooting Julie a menacing glare, she poured them tea and sat down in the armchair as elegantly as she could. Julie only laughed harder as Mildred softly said: “Thank you, miss Hardbroom.”

* * *

Coffee! She _needed_ coffee. And soon. Pippa bounced down the stairs and into the kitchen, stopping short when she saw the young girl standing by the sink. She was looking out the window and fiddling with her braids. “Hello.” The girl spun around as Pippa slowly continued to the coffee machine. “Who do you belong to?” “I don’t know if I _belong_ to anybody.” She pointed out the window. “My mum’s with miss Bat today, so they said I could come here to work on some school projects. Is that okay?” Pouring coffee, Pippa peered out the kitchen window and saw Hecate on the back terrace. Was she the girl’s other mother? “It’s fine with me. What are the projects?” She took a small sip of coffee, grimacing at the taste, and poured it down the sink. Time for a new pot. “For biology we’re doing plant procreation and for art we’re on animals in motion. I’ve done some birds but I’m looking for something bigger and four-legged, like a cat or, I don’t know, a cow?” The way she scrunched up her face made Pippa smile. “I tried to draw Morgana but she hardly ever moves around. I’m Mildred, by the way.” “Pippa” She held out her hand to the girl. “ _Miss_ Pentangle!” Hecate was standing in the doorway, watching their exchange. The way she said her name made it sound like an order, like a mother would. Mildred’s head flipped around and back, her hand hovering halfway to Pippa’s. “Nice to meet you, miss Pentangle.” After shaking hands, Pippa turned to the sink to fill the coffee pot, determinedly trying to ignore the flutter in her belly at seeing Hecate. “You should come by the stables to draw. We’ve two horses who love to run together.” Turning back at Mildred, she just caught the enthusiastic smile on the girl’s face as she swung around to face Hecate. “Is that okay? Can I go?” Hecate had stepped closer and pulled the braid, that the girl was still tugging on, out of Mildred’s hand. “Mildred, you are hardly too young to make such a decision yourself. I’m just here to make sure you stay out of trouble.” She pointed over the girl’s shoulder. “We should begin. We can either cover budding or the mycorrhizal network for biology. I doubt we have time for both.” The girl hopped to the table to get her bag. “Can we do the network? It sounds _so_ much cooler than budding.” Facing Pippa, Hecate rolled her eyes. “Yes, and we all know how important it is that you learn about the cooler things in life.” Pippa couldn’t stop a laugh from bursting out. From the corner of her eyes she saw Mildred stick out her tongue. “Mum’s always saying that enjoying it will help me learn.” Hecate, who had raised her eyebrows at Mildred, lowered them and nodded sagely. “I found your mum to be right more often than is reasonable. It appears to be her special power.” Mildred smiled very proudly, until a dry ‘don’t let it go to your head’ was thrown her way. The girl flushed and started pulling on her braid again. “I’m ready.” The smile Hecate threw Pippa’s way made her knees wobble. She watched Hecate follow Mildred out the door, wishing she could join them. “Tonight, we could see if Gwen remembers the time she helped me build a mycorrhizal network with pressured liquids through plastic tubes for the STEM fair. Algie and I spent the following summer repainting the walls and ceiling of my bedroom and putting in a new floor.” Mildred laughed as she stepped out on the terrace. Just before the door closed, Pippa heard her say. “Please, tell me there are photos.” As Hecate’s low rumble sounded through the closed door, Pippa hoped to one day feel as included as that girl obviously was.

* * *

Warily, Hecate kept an eye on the girl in the distance, while she dug up a patch of dead _isotoma fluviatilis_ , throwing parts in a wheel barrow and mixing some in the dirt as compost for the tulips the Pentangles wished her to plant there. Mildred was sitting in the grass outside the field where two horses were frolicking. Her sketchbook was in her lap as she was studying the animals, while some kind of stable hand stood in the middle of the field, urging them to run around. After spending a couple of hours with the girl she realized Julie was right about something else. The girl was a magnet for accidents, tripping over everything she could, including her own feet, and losing all things even remotely important. The notes for her biology project had been lost and found twice already and were now safely stored in Hecate’s bag. The hair ties of both the girl’s braids were missing and probably lost forever. Hecate worried more than she believed necessary at the proximity of the girl to the two horses. Mildred knew very well not to go charging into a field with running cattle but that would not stop her if it was required for another, more pressing cause. The girl was admirably brave even if she was not always very smart about it. As Hecate found it increasingly more difficult to concentrate fully on her work with the girl so far away, she decided to take a break and join her. With two apples from her bag in her pockets, she silently approached the girl. “Mildred Hubble.” Her voice was soft but still Mildred shot upright and looked back with a sheepish expression, carding the loose hair out of her eyes. “Can you teach me how to do that?” Hecate sat down and offered the girl an apple. Mildred immediately took a big bite out of it, making Hecate roll her eyes. The girl was constantly eating. She did not answer the question, just shot the girl a questioning look. “Sneaking up on people. It’s really scary.” Mildred tilted her head. “But also very cool.” Hecate snorted. “Yes, and I know your opinion about learning _cool_ things.” Mildred shrugged and took another big bite, grabbing her hair in one hand and throwing it over her shoulder, an annoyed look on her face. “Why don’t I teach you something more practical for now? Like how to tie your hair back with a pencil.” Mildred perked up and grinned widely with a mouth full of apple. She searched through her bag and presented Hecate with a pencil. Abandoning her half-eaten apple, she carefully followed the instructions Hecate gave her and ended up with a somewhat dismal result, making both laugh. “Now that you understand the steps, you can practice it at home. Shall I fix it now so it stops bothering you?” Mildred nodded. “Yes, please.” Hecate stood up and moved behind her, took the pencil out of her long hair and ran her fingers through it, getting out some big tangles. “How is your drawing coming along?” Mildred held her sketchbook over her head with one hand. The drawing was not very detailed yet but the horses in the picture were recognizable and clearly trotting. As she complimented the girl on her technique, Pippa walked up to them. She was wearing fitted riding clothes and while Hecate pushed the pencil one more time through Mildred’s hair, she kept her head down and tried not to show how much she appreciated the view out of the corner of her eyes.

* * *

This whole day had been some kind of delicious torture for Pippa. She tried not to look for them but couldn’t help being drawn to Hecate and Mildred, watching them talk and laugh and interact, noting the caring way Hecate handled the girl and the loving banter they shared. She was jealous of the girl, who seemed sociable and so well-adjusted and who had at least one loving mother that accepted her and let her grow. But there was another feeling as well, a warm, rolling feeling moving from her stomach to her chest cavity every time Hecate smiled at the girl or explained something to her. A reeling attraction for the woman that gradually kept showing her more of herself, and Pippa seemed destined to like all that she saw. She had watched them have lunch together through the kitchen window, Mildred animatedly telling a story between bites and Hecate smiling and patiently listening, her eyes soft and the corners crinkled. Mildred had asked her a question and the answer seemed to baffle the girl. She looked at Hecate in awe, until the woman had brought her hand up to close the girl’s mouth. From the kitchen, Pippa heard the bubbling giggle that followed. They had stayed quiet for a while, when Mildred asked another question, pointing to the house and waving at Pippa as she spotted her in the window. Hecate looked up at her and smiled, and Pippa blushed. Busted. She quickly moved as if she was doing something (which she wasn’t) and forgot to smile back. Looking out the window again after a few moments, they were having a more serious talk, less one-sided than before, and the tender look Hecate directed at Mildred caused the flutter in her chest to re-emerge. Later that afternoon she watched them from an upstairs window, as Hecate was digging up a patch of dead-looking shrubs and Mildred sat close-by writing in a notebook. The girl would chew on her pen and look up, then ask a question and Hecate would stop digging for a second to acknowledge it with a smile or a nod before she answered. If Mildred forgot to take notes and just sat and listened, Hecate would stop talking and pointedly glare at the girl’s hands, until she started writing. When Pippa decided to end the day with a ride on Helix, she saw them on the edge of the field, Hecate running her hands through the girl’s hair and Mildred proudly holding up her drawing while eating an apple. It was terribly cute and domestic and Pippa was nauseatingly jealous of the other mum in this family. She veered off-course and walked up to them, trying not to stare at Hecate’s hands as they were flipping Mildred’s hair around a pencil, then turning it and sticking it through the hair. Mildred waved at her as she walked up. “Hi miss Pentangle. Are you going to ride one of the horses?” Pippa plopped down next to her and nodded. “I was planning on it but I could postpone a little if you’re not done with your drawing.” The girl seemed to contemplate that for a moment. “Maybe for a few minutes so I can get the colours right? I can finish the rest at home.” Hecate had put her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “I will get back to work then. Come find me in an hour. Hopefully, Gwen and your mum will have dinner ready when we get back to the house.” Mildred tilted her smiling face up and nodded. Pippa gloomily watched the other woman walk away, flushing again when Hecate turned around and smiled back.


	7. A mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody just mothers everybody else in this chapter.  
> But there is also development, some more misunderstanding and someone's question gets answered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote another chapter. And they keep growing.  
> Unbeta'd, all mistakes are mine.

Hecate slowly walked up the path to the house. It looked inviting, chatter and other sounds spilling into the small garden. Mildred’s and Julie’s bicycles were parked next to her own in the shed and there was a discarded backpack on the porch. It was as if they were a family, the four of them. She had gotten into a pretty satisfactory routine with Julie. Thrice a week, Julie would arrive at the house in the morning and they would have coffee, after which Hecate would get Gwen out of bed. Based on her mood and response to Julie, which had mostly been positive sofar, Hecate would leave and work in the Pentangle gardens until dinnertime, which they would have with Mildred, who dropped by after school or after being with friends. As she entered the kitchen, Julie turned from the fridge with a big smile. “Welcome home, dear! How as your day?” Julie constantly jested about the domesticity of the situation, which was a tiny bit irksome but mostly charming. “Oh, did you get the …” Hecate hummed in acquiescence and showed her the bag of grated parmesan. “Lovely.” Julie plucked it out of her hands. “You may want to check the mail. It’s on the coffee table.” Hecate nodded as she picked some veggies out of the pan. Julie glared a little but did not comment. “And also, could you talk to Millie for me? I think she should be learning a second language but she’s worried about the extra work. We just rowed about it.” Julie’s eyes were stern and stubborn but Hecate could see the worry underneath. “She might listen to you, a fresh perspective and all that.” “Of course.” Hecate had filled two glasses with the open bottle of red that was on the counter and handed one to Julie. “I can do it now, if you don’t need my help here.” Waving her wineglass towards the living room, Julie nodded eagerly. “Yes please, I’ll be fine. Dinner’s in ten.” Hecate made her way to where Gwen was sitting in the arm chair watching a Spanish soap opera. Mildred was on the floor next to the chair flipping through one of Hecate's photo albums. “Hello Gwen, Mildred.” She bent down and kissed Gwen’s cheek, as the older woman brought her hand up to caress Hecate’s. Mildred perked up. “Hi HB. There’s an important looking envelope from Newcastle University for you!” Hecate grinned. The nickname was new; a compromise between ‘miss Hardbroom’, that Hecate had begun to find too severe, and ‘Hecate’, which Julie had thought too familiar for the girl to use. “Thank you, Mildred.” Moving to one end of the sofa and savouring the fruity aroma of her wine, she eyed the envelope. She recognised the sender’s handwriting and had expected the announcement. She would have to deal with that later. “How was school today?” The girl shrugged. “It was okay.” She got up from the floor and came to sit beside Hecate. “Mum wants me to take on another language.” Her face had fallen and she looked miserable, pulling on her braid and let her head tilt to the side. “I don’t want to disappoint her but I don’t think I can do it. What do you think?” Hecate took a sip of her wine and tilted her head in the same direction. “I think you underestimate yourself, Mildred. Which language options are given?” The girl looked upwards in thought for a moment, her braid forgotten. “French, Spanish and German.” “And why would you think you are incapable of learning one of them?” Mildred looked away, tugging on her braid some more. Hecate took the offending hand and squeezed it, holding it between them on the couch. “I don’t know. Isn’t that hard?” The girl looked into her eyes again, some anxiety was there, but also a little hope. Hecate smiled a knowing smile. “Perhaps. Though, coincidentally, it is also very cool.”

* * *

Oh, bloody hell! She was late. Rushing through her bedroom, Pippa gathered her phone and keys and stepped into her study. She'd just about had time to brush her teeth and splash some water on her face, after having slept straight through her alarm clock and waking five minutes before Dimity was supposed to arrive. She would have to forego coffee, the thought making her chagrined. Grabbing a jacket from her office chair, Pippa ran out of her chambers and down the stairs into the kitchen. “Oy Pentangle! That’s some shoddy JIT-management you have.” Dimity was standing at the sink, inhaling a cup of steaming coffee, the smell coming from the machine made Pippa’s mouth water. Maybe Dimity would let her have a cup before they’d start, if she’d ask nicely? She longingly looked at the coffee machine. “Don’t even think about it, Pippa. We’re going out in thirty seconds. If I were you, I’d start stretching.” Pippa contemplated for a second. Then she came to stand too close to Dimity, way up in her personal space, snaked an arm around Dimity’s back to rest on the counter at her other side and pushed her bottom lip out. Dimity kept her face impassive, looking away from her, but Pippa caught the twinkle in her eyes. “You wouldn’t mind if I took a sip from your cup then, would you?” She cupped her hand over Dimity’s and pulled the cup towards her own mouth, tipping it so she could take a sip, smiling at the shocked expression on Dimity’s face. There was some milk in the coffee but no sugar and Pippa winced a little at the bitter taste. Just as she swallowed, the kitchen door opened and Hecate entered. Pippa jumped and scooted away from Dimity, coughing up the coffee that had entered the wrong pipe. “Don’t mind me.” Hecate gaze flicked from Pippa, who felt her ears burning, to Dimity, who was considering her coffee as if it was something that might spontaneously combust. “I merely need to hand over some paperwork to Ada.” In a few strides Hecate was through the kitchen and in the hallway. As soon as the door closed behind her, Dimity burst out laughing. Pippa watched her dejectedly. “I guess she was the last person you’d wish had seen that display?” “It really doesn’t matter. She’s unavailable anyway.” Pippa put her phone and keys in her pockets and tied her jacket around her waist. “Shall we?” Dimity followed her outside, the morning air was crisp from the rain that had fallen during the night. “I thought we’d go through the forest and take the bike path back. It should be a solid 5K.” Pippa nodded at the other woman and they started their run leisurely, Dimity setting the pace. “And on the way you can explain to me how you found out T, D & G is unavailable?” Pippa sighed. “She has a family, a daughter, a teenager already.” Dimity looked at her with eyebrows towards her hairline. “Seriously? She must’ve started really young.” “Yes, well…” Every time Pippa thought about Hecate and her happy little family, it felt as if someone punched her in the gut, which wasn’t just crazy but also very unfriendly. “Does that matter?” “I guess not.” Dimity picked up the pace of their run and they stopped talking for a while. When they entered the forest bordering the Pentangle estate they slowed down again to a jogging pace. Pippa was feeling short of breath already, while Dimity looked like she only had taken a little stroll through the garden. “I could’ve sworn she gave me an available vibe when we flirted. And there’s no wedding ring or anything.” This time Pippa raised her eyebrows. “An available vibe? That’s nice.” Dimity chuckled. “And marriage is hardly a necessary commitment for any couple anymore, especially when there’s a child already.” Dimity had started jogging backwards so she could look Pippa in the eye. “You’re right, but it may not be the whole story.” Unable to answer, Pippa just glared back. “And even if it is, luckily she’s not the only T, D and G in the world.”

* * *

“Come inside for a minute, Gwen. I will make us tea.” Gwen shuffled after her into the kitchen, looking around in wonder. “This is beautiful. When did you do this?” Hecate lead her to the table and lowered her into a chair. “This kitchen? I suppose it has been renovated in the last ten years but not by me.” She filled the kettle and placed it on the stove. Leaning with her back against the counter and drumming her fingers on the edge, she mused aloud. “How am I going to keep you occupied, today?” Another nurse had come and gone that morning, something in his looks, smell or demeanour provoked a bout of fear in Gwen, so Hecate had brought her to the estate. She worried that they might never find someone else that clicked with Gwen as well as Julie. Not that she minded spending the day with her foster mother. Hecate always cherished the time they had together, even on days that Gwen did not recognise her. The older woman was kind and clever, and where she used to make off-hand dry remarks that would leave people in stitches, now her observations were often accidentally witty and droll. She had been a charmer as well, it was no surprise that Algie had been pining for her for thirty years, and she had even managed to beguile Hecate’s father, so that he soon trusted her enough to watch his daughter after school. The charm was still there, below the surface, but Gwen did not direct it purposefully towards anybody anymore. Now she was simply a warm-hearted, lively woman with a childlike innocence. The kettle whistled and Hecate turned around to make a pot of tea. Gwen watched her with dainty eyes. “Will we have tea together?” Hecate nodded. “And some biscuits too.” She filled a pot with fresh tea leaves and let it settle for a minute. Staring at the pot her mind wandered to the scene she had witnessed in this kitchen earlier in the week: Pippa and Dimity in a very close and intimate stance. Hecate would never have guessed there was more between the two than friendship but it appeared that she was wrong. Though it made her wonder about their behaviour towards her, it was nice they had each other. Her own most recent relationship had ended more than a year ago and she was a little envious. ”I love to read about the tree.” Gwen’s voice pulled her back to reality and she quickly filled a cup with tea, a lot of milk and a little lemon. She put the cup down in front of Gwen and crouched down next to the older woman “I know you love that book, Gwen, but I forgot to bring it. Maybe I should return home to pick it up.” She had brought a comfortable lawn chair, so Gwen could sit close by while Hecate worked. She had remembered to bring a sun hat, sun screen and the biscuits Gwen liked to nibble on but she knew that Gwen needed something to look at, something to hold and leaf through, or else her mind and her body would start to wander. There would probably be some magazines she could borrow in the house. “I’ll go ask Ada for something to read for you. Will you wait for me here?” Gwen smiled as she looked back “Of course, dear.” After placing a kiss on Gwen’s cheek and scooting her tea cup closer, she went to the study look for Ada.

* * *

Pippa entered the stables with Helix on the reins. “Marco!” She backed her horse into his stable and removed his bridle. When she turned around to close the stable door, Marco popped out from the back of the barn. “Did you call me?” “I did.” Stroking Helix’s nose, she looked back over her shoulder. “Could you see whether the horse-shoer has time to stop by this week? Helix has been favouring one of his hind legs this ride.” Marco came to stand next to her and pulled a mint out to give to the horse. “Sure thing, Pippa. I’ll call her this afternoon.” And then to Helix. “Have we been neglecting your shoe maintenance, you handsome devil?” Pippa grinned as she pivoted away. “Thanks, Marco. Have a good day.” Marco waved but didn’t respond. That man only had eyes for the horses. Pippa felt lucky to have him for the daily care of Helix and Grace, seeing that she couldn’t imagine ever finding a better horse mother and whisperer. Coming back to the house, she walked up to Gwen, who was sitting at the terrace table. “Hello Gwen. Nice to see you again.” The older woman slowly angled her head to Pippa and gave a small smile. “Hello dear. It’s good to see you too.” Her head moved back around and she looked down to the book in her lap, flipping and stroking the pages as if she was reading braille. “How have you been, Gwen?” Pippa spotted Hecate in the distance on her mobile, gesturing with her free hand and looking annoyed. “I have been perfectly well, dear. Enjoying the garden, reading my book.” Gwen closed the book in her lap and just as she was about to walk away, Pippa noticed the cover. The Secret Garden. It looked like her book. The one for which sixteen-year-old Pippa had fought tooth and nail to keep when her parents had decided it was time to get rid of all her childhood toys and books. Confused and reliving some crummy childhood memories, she sat down next to Gwen and stared at the book. She recognised the tear in the cover, this _was_ her book. Where did Gwen get it? How’d she get it? “Would you like me to read it to you, dear? It’s about a garden, you see.” Pippa nodded absentmindedly, flitting her eyes to Hecate, who was still on her call and had progressed from annoyed to exasperated. Gwen babbled about a garden and the colours of nature to which Pippa hardly paid attention, until she heard Hecate’s name. “Hecate was such a pretty little girl, don’t you think?” “Urm…” Even more confused now, Pippa brought her focus back to the older woman. “I mean young, of course. She was never little, always tall for her age, that one. When she went through her growth spurt, I think I had to buy her a new pair of trousers every month.” Pippa opened her mouth but couldn’t think of a response. At least, not until she noticed the photo in Gwen’s hands, the photo that came out of her book, the one of her and the other girl dancing on the beach and the dark-haired woman. “You must be confused, Gwen. That’s me in that photo, the little blonde girl. I don’t think Hecate's there as well.” “Oh, but she is, dear.” Gwen’s tone was strong and broke no opposition, her finger brushing the dark-haired girl in the photo. “I remember them moving in next door as if it was yesterday. This elegant five-year-old with the saddest eyes and the worst haircut.” Both of them then looked up to where Hecate was pacing, Gwen with a tender smile and Pippa with her mouth open.

* * *

This was her own fault. She had neglected to deal with Charlotte’s study invitation, postponing it until she had formulated a first-rate and tactful negative response. But Charlotte never had even a tenth of an ounce of patience, had always skirted the lines of ethical participant recruitment which usually brought her results other researchers in her field viewed with envy. Now Charlotte was ringing her and Hecate did not have the willpower to ignore her. It would only give her a short respite, since Charlotte was unyielding when she wanted something and would not hesitate to visit them in person. With that as a possible alternative, Hecate preferred to handle this over the phone. Excusing herself from the table where Gwen was flipping through a children’s book that Ada had brought, she strode towards the chestnut across the lawn to answer her mobile. “Charlotte, to what do I owe this call?” She tried to keep her voice light, lest the other woman notice her annoyance already. “ _Hecate_.” Charlotte elongated the last vowel of her name, which Hecate had always hated because of how fake she made it sound. “ _It’s sooo good to hear your voice. How’ve you been? How’s rural life treating you?_ ” Rolling her eyes, Hecate ignored the second question, her ‘rural’ life would never be something Charlotte would find interesting. “I am great, Charles. As are you, I hope.” Shooting a look at Gwen, Hecate was glad to see Pippa chat with her, giving Gwen the attention she herself should have given, if only this call had not gotten in the way. Charlotte laughed heartily. “ _I am, thank you. We received the grant for our dementia study, maybe you’ve heard?_ ” A smile crept on to her face. Charlotte would never be her favourite person anymore but her research focus was undisputedly valuable. “I inferred as much when I received your invitation to participate.” “ _It was an invitation to call me, which you ignored. And here I thought we were friends._ ” Hecate rolled her eyes in annoyance. Being the ultimate optimist, Charlotte looked at the world through rose-coloured glasses but she was beyond misguided if she thought she and Hecate had parted amicably. “Since you are calling me now, could you get to the point?” Hecate considered herself a patient person, so the fact that Charlotte got under her skin so easily only affirmed her lingering anger towards the other woman. “ _You know why I’m calling, Hecate. I want you and Gwen in my study and I will not take no for an answer._ ” Hecate was pacing now, indignant and very peeved. Persuading others was Charlotte’s super power and she knew how important her research was to Hecate personally but the other woman’s tenacious overconfidence still annoyed her to no end. “That is very unfortunate because that is the only answer you are going to get out of me.” Charlotte uttered a painful sigh. “ _Why do I have the feeling that your reluctance has to do with me personally?_ ” Hecate took a deep breath and looked towards the terrace again, grounding herself before responding. Pippa was still there and seemed to connect with Gwen, which was a nice surprise. “Perhaps it is. All the more reason to keep this professional.” She smirked as she went on. “I have not had time to read all the information you have sent me, doctor Abara. When I have, I will get back to you.” She could hear Charlotte breathing on the other end of the line and knew she was suppressing a snarky response. “ _Of course, Hecate. Take your time. I’ll contact you next week. Good day._ ” And before Hecate could respond, Charlotte had hung up. She pursed her lips and groaned in agony.

* * *

“Gwen, are you sure?” Pippa couldn’t believe it. Could the girl in the photo really be Hecate? She flipped her gaze from the photo to the woman. There were obvious similarities, the dark, curly hair and thin frame, but it just seemed too coincidental to be true. Next to her, Gwen was still caressing the photo. “She has lost so many people in her life. Will you promise me you will be there for her when I’m gone?” She wasn’t looking at her or at Hecate, her gaze far away, but Pippa didn’t hesitate. “Of course I will.” How else was she going to respond to that question? Across the lawn, Hecate’s face had turned into one of anger as she hung up her mobile and groaned. Pippa watched her gaze up at the chestnut and breathe deeply for a few moments before she looked their way again. Gwen had dozed off next to her, the book still in her lap and the photo between her fingers. Still looking at Hecate, Pippa slid the photo free and held it up to take another comparing glance. The amused expression and Hecate’s tilted head emboldened Pippa to go and question her. Her curiosity did always drown out her anxiety “What humiliating story has she told you?” Hecate’s smile made her eyes crinkle and she suddenly looked very young. “Whatever she said, it is true. She is forgetful but has yet to lie or fabricate things.” Pippa held out the photo, putting her hands in her pockets the moment Hecate took it from her. “She told me you’re in this photo.” Looking at the image Hecate uttered a soft gasp. “Where did you get this?” Hecate’s challenging tone was familiar and Pippa struggled to square her shoulders and not avert her gaze. “I don’t know who gave it to me, actually. I’ve had it for a while.” Pushing away how cute she thought Hecate’s confused look was, Pippa pointed to herself in the photo. “This is me.” The confused look morphed into one of amazement, Hecate’s eyes widening, and Pippa couldn’t help but notice their various shades of brown. “That is –” Hecate took a deep breath. “Interesting…” Pippa moved her finger to the other girl in the image. “And this is you?” A nod was all the confirmation Hecate gave, still staring at the photo in her hand. “And the woman?” “Is my mother.” She said it in little more than a whisper and Pippa stayed silent until Hecate went on. “I don’t remember ever being at the beach as a child. Where is this?” “Saltburn Beach. You don’t remember this holiday?” Hecate shook her head. “I could not have been more than four years old in this photo.” Pippa’s mouth fell as she looked at the girl in the photo again. Just four years old? Tall for her age, indeed. “Your mother must remember. She never told you? Showed you photos?” Dark eyebrows pulled together and Pippa immediately regretted her words. “My mother died. The winter after this photo was taken, I would guess.” The pain in her voice was unmistakable. “I suppose there might be more photos.” The hope Pippa had for ever finding the mysterious woman that made her feel so very safe as a child shattered and it made her feel empty. Still, her daughter was here. The girl in the photo was standing in front of her, thirty years after it was taken. There was a possibility she could still get more answers. She realized she had been silent for too long, when Hecate took a small step backwards, creating more space between them. “I’m so sorry, Hecate.” Pippa extended her hand, placing it on Hecate’s forearm. “It wasn’t my intention to dredge up painful memories.” “You didn’t.” Hecate shook her head as she said it, dark curls flying free with the movement. “I hardly remember her.” Shuffling a little closer to be able to look her in the eye, Pippa gathered her courage. “You think you might have other photos of this holiday? Photos I could see?” The other woman’s gaze seemed to search her face and Pippa flushed and looked down. “If it’s okay.” Holding out the photo for Pippa to take, Hecate cleared her throat, her voice sounded stronger. “I do think there might be more photos. And of course it is all right. I’ll bring them by next week.” Pippa beamed. She couldn’t help it. Maybe the photos would trigger more memories, happy memories. She could bloody well use more happy memories.


	8. A life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friends are convincing our heroes to go and get a life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took so long. For some reason I had a lot of difficulty writing this.  
> But here it finally is and I am planning something very exciting for the next chapter :)  
> Not sure, but this might be sort of an appropriate chapter to post on valentine's day.

Julie was tapping her nails against her coffee mug in the way that Hecate recognised as the woman ordering her thoughts before inquiring about something deeply personal, forward or confronting. Taking a deep breath, Hecate made a triangle with her forearms, elbows on the table and her chin on her clasped hands, looking expectantly at Julie, who glanced up at her movement and chuckled at the flicker of Hecate’s eyelashes, sticking out her tongue in a fashion utterly similar to her daughter.

They shared a capability to read others rather quickly, though Hecate made more use of observational skills and Julie a beguiling nosiness – or interest, as she would call it. There was no doubt in Hecate’s mind that the woman who was sitting across the table was more than able to fool, enchant and even manipulate others into thinking whatever she wanted them to. “What happened to your friends?” The challenge was finally put forward and Hecate raised her eyebrows.

The question was really not that surprising, she had wondered when Julie would raise the issue of Hecate’s apparent lack of a social life. “What makes you think anything happened to them?” Julie started a comic eyeroll but stopped it when her irises reached the top of her eyes and she uttered a long sigh instead. “I _know_ you must’ve had friends before you moved here. You’re kind and interesting, funny, smart, pretty even, at times, in the right light.” She leaned backwards and cradled side to side as she said it, as if to look for the right angle in which Hecate’s prettiness would be evident. Hecate let a small chuckle escape, hiding her mouth behind her mug.

“I imagine you might’ve had a romantic partner as well.” Julie waggled her eyebrows. “You don’t speak about them, don’t call them, don’t hear from them. What happened?” The expectant gaze remained on Julie’s face for the entire thirty seconds it took Hecate to respond. “Many things… Or maybe just one thing many different ways.” This was really not something of which she was comfortable talking, although if she did, she would with Julie. She was no meddler and had already shared so much of her and Mildred’s lives with Hecate. She was the closest thing she had to a friend at the moment.

“My choice to move here and take care of Gwen generated a lot of feelings with my former friends, most of them not exactly supportive. I got tired of explaining myself, of defending my choice. Mostly, I got tired of their pity.” “I suppose that would be exhausting.” Julie took a sip from her coffee, her moves deliberate and contemplative, and Hecate knew they were not even close to finished with this topic. Julie tipped her mug in her direction. “And don’t get me wrong, I’m your friend. You don’t get a say in that, anyway.” Hecate’s snort and mumbled ‘oh joy’ were not missed by the other woman, who just sighed and continued.

“But you don’t _have_ to be alone. You could go out and meet people, make new friends, go on dates. I bet if you put yourself out there, you’ll find someone who’s interested in you in a heartbeat.” Hecate glared at her. “Despite my barely satisfactory appearance?” With her mug halfway to her mouth, Julie snorted. “You know I only say that to underline our boundaries. If I tell you that you’re attractive, you might get the wrong idea.” Hecate was openly chuckling now. “Consider them clearly underlined.” Julie grinned and started tapping her nails against her coffee mug again.

* * *

“What did I miss this weekend?” Ada stirred her spoon twice through her tea, tapped it on the rim and placed it thoughtfully on the saucer. The clink of the china rang loud through the quiet kitchen. Every Monday morning she asked Pippa the same question and every time Pippa would give the same answer. She didn’t know whether she hated or loved Ada for keeping up the appearance that Pippa might’ve something new to tell her, all of a sudden. Usually, Pippa would deflect the question with a nondescript answer but not today.

Not wanting to think about what caused her to change their routine, Pippa was starting to think about possibilities. Maybe the news that the woman that had appeared in her dreams for so many years had died made Pippa fear the finite nature of life more than anything in that life. Possibly she was finally ready for change, and maybe Ada could help her take the first step. She took a deep breath. “Do you think I should get a life?” If Ada was surprised by her question, she didn’t show it. She held Pippa’s gaze as she slowly lowered her tea cup to place it next to her spoon. “What sort of life, dear?”

The jitters coursing through her prevented Pippa to acknowledge the philosophical contingencies of such a question. “You know…” There was very little doubt in Pippa’s mind that Ada knew what she meant with ‘a life’, she was only unsure whether she knew herself. “Friends, dates, … lovers?” Her voice had gotten softer with every word until she whispered the last. Ada grinned and quickly let her head hang to look into her tea cup. She took it in both hands and brought it up to her face. “Would you like to have multiple lovers?” A chuckle silenced by a sip of tea followed the question and Pippa rolled her eyes. “That’s really not the point, Ada.”

Multiple lovers. Her cheeks flushed and her heartbeat picked up just by thinking about that. “And no, of course not.” There was a twinkle in Ada’s eyes that Pippa did not want to dwell on, though the set of her mouth remained serious. “Pippa dear. What do you want out of life?” And wasn’t that just the million pound question? What _did_ Pippa want out of life? The only answer she could think of was ‘anything but this’ and that thought was possibly the most depressing she'd ever had. “I’m not exactly sure but I think I want more than this. Or something else. Possibly something better?”

She looked down in shame, expecting anger and indignation from the other woman. How could she ask for more out of life? Didn’t she have everything she needed right here in this house? Ada remained quiet and when Pippa dared to look up, the beaming smile on Ada’s face made her utter a shocked gasp. “Ada?” Ada leaned forward and placed a hand on one of Pippa’s. “I am so awfully happy to hear you say that, my dear Pippa. Overjoyed really.”

There was a nagging thought somewhere in the back of her mind that she should be insulted by this response but the beginning of an excited, happy and safe feeling drowned out everything else. “What do you think I should do? How does one go about getting a life?” Ada’s smile had diminished some, a tender half smile now gracing her face. “Well, I am certainly no expert, but I think if you’d be more aware of the intentions of the people around you, you’ll see that you already have ample opportunities to expand your circle of friends.” Ample opportunities? That was indeed news to her. Was she so unaware of her environment?

“What sort of opportunities?” Ada had leaned back again, hands folded in her lap. “I understand Hannah is visiting us this afternoon?” Pippa raised her eyebrows and nodded. This sounded interesting. “She has flirted with you, exclusively with you, every time she’s been here.” Ada paused and her words sunk in bit by bit. “Maybe you could try flirting back today and see what happens?”

* * *

“So?” Hecate sighed very deeply and dramatically. Julie was not going to let this issue go. “What would you have me do, Julie? Leave Gwen alone at night to go out drinking? Hire a babysitter, who would not know what to do with her when she wakes and panics? She needs consistency, not a whole gaggle of strangers around her. She needs me.” In her head it seemed so simple, so evident, but she knew Julie would pry her arguments apart and perhaps even present her with a counterargument Hecate hadn’t heard before. She felt anxious and excited, and unsure whether she wanted to hear all the reasons to choose her own happiness over Gwen’s once in a while.

“It is very commendable what you’re doing for Gwen. Not many people would put their life on hold to take care of another in this way.” Hecate recognised the words as a preamble towards a contradictory conclusion, one she knew with which she would probably agree. Still, she felt the need to defend why Gwen’s person warranted this choice. “It is no more than she deserves. She would do the same for me, she _has_ done the same for me. I owe her this and more.”

Julie tilted her head to the side and looked at her in sympathy. “I don’t doubt that. I’ve heard Algernon gush over her for years before I met her meself, and she didn’t disappoint.” Hecate smiled at that. She had been on the receiving end of Algernon’s proclamations of his undying love for Gwen many times. He had never been a word smith but he was always candid and true. “But don’t you deserve to be happy as well? If your positions were reversed, would Gwen not have deserved a night off once in a while, to have fun? Would she not deserve friends, a lover?”

And, of course, Hecate agreed. Gwen had deserved that, and so much more. But she had put her life on hold as well and for much less potent reasons than Hecate did now. “Do you know that she reconnected with Algernon years before she moved here? I am not quite sure when it happened but I do know that they waited to move to this house together, so I could finish my A-levels without having to change schools. They even postponed their wedding out of solidarity: ‘If you cannot get married to the person you choose, then we will wait until you can.’ It is absurd how much of her happiness she sacrificed for me.”

“That’s not absurd. It’s very sweet.” Hecate sighed. Her coffee had gotten cold. She got up from the table and poured the remains down the sink, using the silence to listen for sounds coming out of Gwen’s bedroom but Morgana had not let herself be heard yet, so Gwen was still asleep. “I know it was sweet. But by the time the laws changed, Gwen’s legal capacity was already starting to become questionable and Algernon would not consider going through with it anymore. They had missed their chance.” She had kept her back to Julie, tears gathering in her eyes and a small, almost imperceptible catch in her throat.

“They had many years together, Hecate. And they were happy. They missed nothing.” Julie had gotten up from the table and came to stand next to her, hip leaning against the counter and her arms crossed over her chest. “Stop taking responsibility for their decisions and start taking your own to get back to having a life.” Hecate’s amused expression must be clear on her face, seeing that Julie’s knowing expression morphed into a grin. “Aren’t you making it sound rather worse than it is? I have not been here for that long.” Julie had let her hands fall and waved them in an off-put manner. “It’s been long enough, in my humble opinion.”

She leaned closer, as if to share a secret. “You should make use of your youth-driven hotness while you can.” Hecate closed her eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “I cannot believe I am supposed to consider _you_ my friend…” The chuckle coming from Julie could almost be considered girlish and her impish smile surely was. Time to end this conversation. “Excuse me. I need to go check on Gwen.” She extricated herself and left the kitchen, ignoring Julie’s insistent: “We’ll pick this up when you’re back.”

* * *

Peeking out the kitchen door, Pippa saw Hannah step out of her truck. Marco met her at the stables and both soon disappeared inside. Pippa stood in the doorway, restless and undecided, stepping from one foot to the other, figuring out if and when to go out and join them in the stables. She still doubted Ada’s vigorous insistence that Hannah was interested in her but then, she’d always been a little oblivious in that regard. Nothing bad would come of it if it turned out Ada was wrong. Hannah was good-looking, not necessarily Pippa’s type, but pretty, funny and sharp. And she was a horse lover, a notion that gave Pippa the very pleasant feeling they would at least have something to talk about.

In the distance, Marco led Helix into the pen, Hannah in tow. The woman had a confident stride, her short legs clad in dark blue dungarees, complimenting her cinnamon-coloured hair, and sensible boots underneath. Biting down on her anxiety, Pippa squared her shoulders as she walked up to them. Hannah looked up as she drew closer and threw her a big smile. “Pippa. Good to see you.”

The smile Pippa returned was more tentative as she stopped beside Helix’s head, stroking his neck, while Hannah ran her palm along his hind leg to persuade him to lift it and murmured ‘Let me take a gander at your hoof, pretty boy’. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.” Pippa nodded at Marco’s questioning look and he sauntered into the barn again, off to happily hang out with Grace. Hannah placed the stallion’s leg in a brace and was probing it with a little metal tool. “No worries. You’ve always been a faved client of mine. Chuffed to see this lovely boy again.”

So far, Pippa hadn’t heard anything that could be construed as flirtatious and she relaxed somewhat, gladly watching Hannah assess the hoof and scratching Helix behind his ears. Hannah’s short and messy hair, round face with tanned skin, high cheekbones and narrow chin were attractive enough but she also exuded a knowledgeable and self-reliant air that Pippa admired. What would it be like to spend more time with her? Would she fascinate Pippa the way another tall, dark-haired and suspiciously absent woman usually did?

The urge to compare Hannah to Hecate quite bothered Pippa. Hecate may be almost entirely the kind of woman Pippa fell for, she was unavailable. And even if Hecate was interested in her, Pippa wasn’t willing to break up a family, as much as the thought of that family elicited all sorts of green-tinged feelings in her.

The sound of her name and a nudge from Helix tugged her back to reality and she looked over into Hannah’s clear blue eyes. “You were far afield. Anything good on your mind?” Pippa lightly shook her head and brought the conversation back to Helix’s hoofs, a safe topic. The smiles and glances Hannah send her way while they talked made Pippa feel a little flurry of excitement. Maybe Ada _was_ right. “I’ll refasten the shoe that’s come loose. That’ll just take a jiff.”

Hannah came closer, stepping just over the threshold of Pippa’s personal space, and glanced at her through her eyelashes. “Will you keep me company?” Pippa swallowed against the sudden shift in the atmosphere and nodded unevenly. “Sure.” Her voice was hoarse and higher than she was comfortable with. The smile on Hannah’s face bordered on mischievous and for a second Pippa worried that she would do something that would make her even more uncomfortable, but the moment passed and Hannah stepped back and bend down to get her tools.

“Maybe you could tell me what shenanigans you’ve been up to that could’ve loosened this boy’s horse shoe.” The wink from Hannah caused a mighty blush to materialise on Pippa’s cheeks.

* * *

Standing on a rickety ladder, Hecate assessed the damage on the wall and ceiling. A roofer had been by to fix the roof of the tool shed but assessing and repairing the water damage inside had not been part of his service. Holding a small flashlight, Hecate used a putty knife to remove loosened parts of ceiling and wall. The destruction of the wall was rather extensive and the ceiling would need a number of new boards but all in all it would probably only take a few hours to restore both. She could do it herself, which was preferable because it would be done faster, but she would let Ada determine the best course of action.

While she was making a mess in the shed, her mind wandered to the talk she had with Julie at the beginning of the week. It would be marvellous to be able to go out at night again, to dinner, to the theatre or even just to go for a run. She had never expected to miss leaving the house in the evenings, but then again, when taking off on a whim was impossible, every other prospect was suddenly very welcome. She was a little uncomfortable with Julie’s offer to look after Gwen at night so Hecate could escape the house once in a while, but when she uttered her worries Julie just waved them away and started pointing out everything Hecate did for Mildred.

“Don’t you think I see all that you do for her? The open and hidden tutoring, the support, the confidence boosts. Since we’ve met you she hardly puts those bloody braids in her mouth anymore.” Julie had looked a little pained at that, making Hecate wonder how often Mildred had tried to eat her hair before she met the pair. In one of their last talks, Mildred had confessed that she was bullied by a girl from her year who seemed to get away with all sort of questionable behaviour. The manner in which their teachers appeared not to handle the feud angered Hecate, but seeing as she could hardly change that, she had offered Mildred her help in pondering over creative and honourable ways to expose the other girl’s arrogance.

Mildred had jumped at the offer, since her and her friend Enid’s vengeful plans always got them into more trouble, and she immediately illustrated that with a colourful tale of their last prank, which resulted in a destroyed classroom, two broken windows and a slightly traumatized school parrot, miraculously only earning them one week's worth of detentions. Hecate suspected that this latest offer had not made Julie’s list of things she did for Mildred yet, although Hecate could make the case that it fell under ‘support’, but it still gave her pause to use any of the ways she supported the girl as payment for a night where Julie would take care of Gwen so Hecate could have fun.

“I brought you something to drink.” Hecate swirled around and almost fell off the ladder. In the doorway stood Pippa with a bottle of water and a curious expression. “You were far away.” She hummed in acquiescence as she descended carefully and took the bottle that Pippa held out. “I haven’t seen you this week. Everything all right?” The cold water was a grace Hecate had not noticed she needed. “I am fine, but unfortunately Gwen has the flu. Julie is with her today. How have you been?” The skittish way in which Pippa moved further into the shed told Hecate there was something on her mind. She tried to convey her willingness to hear whatever she had to say with a patient stance and open expression.

Pippa clutched her hands in front of her and blew out a breath. “I was wondering if you’ve found more photos from that holiday at Saltburn Beach?” Her face was tense and there was uncertainty and hope behind her eyes, and Hecate wondered, not for the first time, what made Pippa care so much for this holiday and those photos. There was a story there and Hecate became aware of a growing desire to hear it and learn more about the woman behind it. “I have not. I apologize. Gwen’s illness has taken up my time and energy.”

She noticed Pippa’s face fall and knew she wanted to make a smile appear there again. “But if you’ve time this weekend, perhaps you could stop by and help me in the quest?” Even though it was small, the smile that appeared on Pippa's face warmed Hecate's heart.

* * *

Pippa’s body was tingling in anticipation. Not only was she going to spend a night with Hecate to search for a photo album of the holiday they shared as children, but she also had an actual date with Hannah this week. The horse shoer hadn’t wasted time in asking her out when Pippa acted less oblivious to her advances, and once Pippa recognised them as advances, she remembered some earlier instances with Hannah that proved Ada right. It was a little shameful that she had needed the older woman to point her to a potential love interest. Shouldn’t any woman her age have learned to notice them by now?

She groaned in humiliation as she stared at her computer. As much as the thought of going on a date ruffled her, the thought of spending a night at Hecate’s house, with her and her family, turned out to be more nerve-wracking. So it was a small blessing that she and Hecate had arranged to meet tomorrow and her date was planned for the day after that, so at least Pippa wouldn’t have to spend her night with Hannah being nervous about two things. She could just occupy the coming two days with major anxiety, which was not eased by Mildred’s presences at the estate this afternoon. The interaction between Hecate and the girl being delightfully sweet made Pippa feel crummy, which caused guilt to rear its head, because it wasn’t as if Hecate and Mildred acted that way to spite her.

Pippa had already run into Mildred in the kitchen once, when she needed a caffeine boost, and this time the girl sat at the table doing homework. A question from Pippa regarding how she was doing elicited a stream of excited chatter about her newest subject, which her mum had pushed her into and was suddenly turning into her favourite, not in the least because of all the help she got from… And then Hecate appeared in the kitchen with a stern “Mildred Hubble! What did we discuss about bothering miss Pentangle?”

Both Mildred and Pippa jumped up at her sudden entrance, the latter being very impressed with the stealthy way the other woman had approached them. Mildred recovered rather quickly and apologized, blaming her excitement over Hecate helping with Spanish, of all things, and Pippa’s mind reeled with this new information. Before she could wrap her thoughts around the sensuality of hearing Hecate speak Spanish in that low, sultry voice, the woman called Mildred ‘torbellina’ and promised her ice cream on the way home ‘but let’s not mention that to your mother’, if all her homework would be done _and_ she could translate the promise, which Mildred promptly did, apparently with minimal mistakes.

Hecate’s smile was proud and Mildred beamed and it was all much too soft and mushy for Pippa, who swiftly excused herself and left the kitchen, only realising that she had forgotten to grab a cup of coffee once she got back to her study and sat down behind her laptop. She didn’t dare go back downstairs and brave the warmth of another interaction between Mildred and her mother, so she’d had to forego her boost and wasn’t that just the miserable cherry on top of the bloody shite cake that was this entire day?

Alternating between the open tabs on her computer, Pippa had half a mind to cancel her visit to Hecate’s house the next day in order to save herself from more fluffy cuteness – she seriously might die. Then again, the prospect of finding out more about the woman from her memory, of looking a photos of her happy self as a child, and even of listening to Hecate talk about her mother were all too pleasant to pass up. She would just have to leap into the breach, for one night.

She could handle anything for one night.


	9. A quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes spend an evening together.  
> They have some improper (or actually very proper) thoughts about each other and the misunderstandings get cleared up in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay 😔  
> There was a stomach flu that rendered me impaired for an entire weekend and then work kicked my butt this week... But I delivered something, and it is long as well.  
> And, I don't know, there will be developments, very exciting developments, in the next chapters.  
> Yay! 😊

With a satisfied flourish Hecate swiped the last of the suds spots from the counter and dropped the used towels in the washing machine, looking contently around the tidy kitchen. She did not know what time Pippa would arrive, she had invited her to come by after dinner, but wanted the house to make a good impression. It was really not much, their humble abode, but it was clean and cosy, Hecate hoped Pippa’s judgment would be mild. Strangely, she had begun to care somewhat more than she deemed she should about what the other woman thought.

Joining Gwen in the living room, she took a seat behind the piano and started playing Pachelbel’s Chaconne in F minor, one of their favourite pieces. The fever and chills that had been accompanying her flu in the last week had finally subsided, although she still had a wracking cough, keeping both awake most of the night. Halfway the piece, Hecate glanced over her shoulder. Gwen had closed her eyes and was tenderly smiling and humming along. Her cheeks had lost their fever flush, but they were dry and her lips were chapped. Hecate would need to get her to eat more fruit tomorrow.

After the conclusion of the Chaconne Hecate diverted into the Canon in D and continued playing. She hoped Gwen would be all right with Pippa’s presence in the house tonight. The older woman had seemed fine every time Pippa engaged her in conversation or sat next to her at the estate, but would that be the same in their home? It would be a shame if Pippa had to leave because of Gwen.

As the last notes of the canon drifted away, there was a rap on the kitchen window. Turning around, Hecate spotted Pippa’s smiling face through the doorway and she smiled back without thinking about it, hurrying to the kitchen door to let the woman in. “Evening. I hope I’m not early.” Pippa timidly stepped inside and closed the door behind her, curiously looking around from her place on the door mat, rainwater dripping from her umbrella and coat. “You’re fine.” A small, blithe smile appeared on Pippa’s humid face. “I did not realise it was raining. Come inside and get dry.”

Hecate had already turned around and picked up the kettle to make tea. The rustling of fabric behind her told her that Pippa was removing her coat and suddenly she was standing by the sink. “How’s Gwen?” Her coat was hanging on the radiator by the door and she had left her shoes and umbrella on the mat. It showed an attentiveness for keeping the kitchen floor dry and clean that confused Hecate a little. “Better. Only a cough and a vitamin deficiency that we still have to work through.”

She roamed her eyes over Pippa. Her hair was in a ponytail and mostly dry, save for some strands sticking to her face and neck, and she was wearing a salmon coloured sweater, which looked sinfully soft, over blue jeans, that were darkened from the rain from the knees down. Hecate raised an eyebrow. “Would you like to borrow a dry pair of trousers?” With cheeks that were turning red, Pippa looked down at her drenched jeans. “Maybe I should. I thought I’d walk here, but I was unprepared for the monsoon that was unleashed halfway.” Hecate handed her a steaming mug. “That happens to the best of us. Follow me upstairs.”

Preceding the other woman up the stairs, Hecate tried to compose herself. Pippa’s moist look, combined with her comfy looking sweater with slightly too long sleeves, elicited all sorts of warm, romantic feelings, which she really should keep in check, considering the woman she was feeling them for was unavailable and the daughter of her employer. “Your house is beautiful, but rather small for a family to live in.”

They had reached the landing and Hecate ducked into her bedroom to grab a pair of cotton pyjama bottoms from her dresser. “Good thing it’s only me and Gwen.” Holding the trousers out to Pippa, Hecate belatedly wondered what family she was talking about. She imagined her befuddled expression mirrored the one on Pippa’s face. Taking the mug of tea from her, she pointed to the side. “You can change in there.” Suddenly smiling widely, Pippa sidestepped into the toilet.

* * *

The moment the door closed, Pippa spun around and took stock of her surroundings. The space was small, but efficiently furnished. Looking for signs of multiple occupants, she peered into the shower stall and saw shampoo, conditioner, soap and a razor for one. Best of all, by the sink there was only one toothbrush, making her twirl and shake in a victory dance. Hecate was not completely and utterly unavailable, in a long-term relationship with a child, and there were no regular sleepovers in this house. Pippa still had a chance.

As she hurried to change her jeans for the pyjama bottoms, she heard creaking coming from above. She gingerly stepped out of the toilet and went to stand beside the pull down ladder that had appeared in the hallway. “Hecate!” The woman came into view above her. “I am sorting through the boxes. Can I hand you a few?” “Absolutely.” Putting her foot on the first step of the ladder, she peered up at the rafters. It didn’t look like much of a habitable space and she wondered what and all was stored up there. Hecate handed her two boxes and then came down herself. The boxes were heavy and Pippa had to sit down on one to catch her breath.

“Are you okay?” Hecate crouched down next to her and looked worriedly up into her face, bottom lip between her teeth. Pippa nodded and smiled, feeling wobbles in her arms and legs. Holding out her hand, Hecate stood up again. “Come with me. I think you need something to eat.” How did she know that? Pippa had hardly eaten all day, nerves preventing her from feeling hungry, and then she had taken a thirty minute walk, waiting out in the rain for a full minute until Hecate finished her piano piece. The relief from finding out that it would just be the two of them tonight had probably sizzled all the stress hormones from her system, leaving her sleepy and starved.

Hiding a yawn, she took Hecate’s hand, buzzing at the contact, and let herself be led downstairs and into a chair at the kitchen table. “One moment.” Hecate went around the kitchen and within five minutes a plate of steaming pasta appeared in front of her, then a bowl of arugula and a cup of grated cheese, and Hecate lowered herself in the chair opposite her. “Thank you.” The searching way Hecate regarded her made Pippa self-conscious. Why couldn’t she be normal around this woman? What was it about her that made all sense leave her system and left her a torrid and irregular mess?

“We can do this another time, if you’re not up for it.” Pippa had started eating and almost chocked on a tomato in her hurry to shake her head. “No.” She croaked out as soon as she had cleared her mouth. “I’m fine, really.” Disbelief clouded Hecate’s face and Pippa blushed slightly. “Just low blood sugar. I’ll be all better soon, I promise.” To demonstrate, she enthusiastically took another forkful of the food and Hecate nodded with a half-smile. “If you say so.” Pippa grinned. “I do. This is really good, by the way. What’s in this sauce?” There was something very fresh and somewhat fruity in every bite she took, making the whole dish taste very exotic and the addition of an abundance of vegetables was also entirely pleasing.

“Chef’s secret, I’m afraid.” For the first time since she met her, Pippa detected a hint of smugness in Hecate’s voice and it was terribly attractive. She looked up from her plate with a beaming smile and the smirk on Hecate’s face morphed into something soft, something tender, before she rapidly arose and busied herself at the counter. “Are you all right for a minute? I think I will take Gwen to bed before we start our quest.” “Sure.” Hecate placed a glass of water in front of her and left the kitchen. Pippa heard her speak softly in low tones to Gwen before they both disappeared into what Pippa assumed to be the downstairs bath.

She finished her pasta and rinsed her plate, put the leftover cheese in the fridge and drank her water standing by the sink. Meandering into the living room, she heard soft tones from a lullaby come from a door to the side. Was Hecate singing Gwen to sleep? How utterly adorable.

* * *

Hecate had not adequately thought this through. Why did she ask Pippa to come early in the evening, when she still had to put Gwen to bed? Never being that self-conscious otherwise, having their private interactions in front of another, one she did not know that well, was a different story. She hoped Pippa was out of earshot when she sang to Gwen, the art had never been her strength. Luckily, Gwen went out like a light and only one verse of the song was needed.

When she left the bedroom Pippa was standing in front of the armoire looking over the albums in there, her arms hanging by her sides and her fingers just peeking out under the sleeves of her sweater. The sight was so endearing and beautiful, the light from the setting sun catching in her blonde hair, it was enough to make Hecate catch her breath. It felt like a full minute passed by until she had gathered enough oxygen to speak. “More tea?”

Pippa spun around, as if caught doing something untoward. She pointed behind her. “This is very orderly, but they only start at thirteen.” Walking towards the kitchen, Hecate hummed. “Gwen is very organised. I am unsure whether my mother was as well.” She had realised that sharing her history would be part of this quest, and though she did not particularly mind, it was always somewhat awkward. “We will find out, I suppose.” Pippa had followed her and was leaning against the doorjamb. “I’m very curious about your story.” With her arms crossed over her chest she was watching her cautiously though not expectantly and Hecate was again surprised at what she gleamed was Pippa’s non-judgmental nature.

“It is not that interesting. My dad and I moved to the flat next to Gwen’s after my mother passed away and when he died she fostered me until I went to university.” She had turned around to busy herself again with making tea. As usual, talking about her dad made her feel guilty even though she knew what happened had very little to do with her. It had taken some years, many tear-streaked night-time confessions, several bouts of anger and a horde of therapy sessions, but Gwen and her therapist had eventually helped her see the truth, though Hecate did wonder whether her dad’s death would always feel raw and unhealed.

“It _is_ interesting. And sad. And beautiful.” A flowery scent, either from perfume or shampoo, wafted around Hecate as Pippa came to lean against the sink, almost at the same spot Julie had stood earlier in the week. It made her wonder if this, inviting Pippa over that evening, would be something that would make Julie smile smugly and knowingly and elude to something utterly inappropriate. She turned towards Pippa holding out two mugs. “Would you get settled on the sofa, turn on some music if you like, as I will get the boxes?” As she took the mugs from her, Pippa tilted her head to the side and thoughtfully watched her, then nodded once. “Sure. Any requests?” Hecate shook her head. “Not that we have much of it, but nothing too raucous. This house has thin walls.”

Quickly turning around to be free from the other woman’s attentive gaze, she took the stairs two at a time and stood on the landing for a while to catch her breath. There was something about Pippa that caused Hecate to experience an array of inner turmoil, making cracks appear in the carefully guarded mask she put on every day. There did not seem to be anything she could do to help it, so she really hoped the blonde would not misapply her vulnerability.

When she entered the living room with the first box, Pippa was seated in front of the record cupboard running her fingers over the covers. “I know Gwen’s quite old, but she wasn’t yet alive in the 1920’s, was she?” Hecate grinned. “She was not. But who, in their right mind, does not love Fats Waller?” Turning away again to get the second box, she heard a soft muttering ‘who indeed’ from the other woman that made her want to kiss her, and she had to wait at the top of the stairs again for the heat to stop melting her face.

* * *

Pippa couldn’t stop giggling. After an hour of searching through the boxes they had found out two things about Hecate’s mother. She was not organised; Each box was filled with all kinds of items, from books, papers, loose photos to baubles and trinkets, some more obscure than others, all equally incomprehensible without explanation from the woman who packed them, and few things were in any way labelled. They had found photo albums, in all different shapes and sizes, with creative titles, such as ‘Apple Blossom Flower Dance’ and ‘All my Rowdy Friends are Coming over Tonight’, which gave hints as to the sort of photos inside but not to the years they were taken or the subjects in them.

Which led to their second discovery: Hecate’s mother had a rather unique way of putting order to her world, not by year or categorisation but by topic, one of the albums filled with photos of people dancing and the other of various gatherings. Hecate kept making sarcastic comments that purported her equal enamour of its brilliance and her displeasure for its inconvenience at the moment and Pippa loved every minute of it. Even if it took all night to go through two measly boxes, she loved watching Hecate sort through all knickknacks and pieces of jewellery, gazing at her elegant fingers while they leafed through papers and pages of the photo albums and looking up at her face as Hecate became more familiar with her mother.

When she asked her why she had never before sorted through the memories, Hecate shrugged. “I did not concurrently have time and space for it.” There was something more there, Pippa suspected, but she wouldn’t press, letting the other woman share and keep to herself what she wanted. They weren’t friends (yet, Pippa hoped) and she was getting to know Hecate plenty already from just watching her, the small things she did share and, not to mention, Gwen’s comments on whatever went through her mind at any given time. Keeping your personal life private, if that was what Hecate wished to do, would be next to impossible with a parent suffering from dementia. Since she never before had tried to keep Pippa away from Gwen or the other way around and even alluded to the truthfulness of everything Gwen said about her, Pippa could only conclude that Hecate didn’t really mind, that she wasn’t actually as private as she portrayed herself.

She leaned back on the sofa, holding her wine with both hands and watched Hecate flip through the album with gatherings. “One would hope there would be an album with holidays, but I suppose that would fill up fast.” She had flipped to the end of the filled pages, for they had already found out that Hecate’s father hadn’t continued to fill the albums after her mother died. Pippa assumed he kept the pictures of his daughter elsewhere. “And be much too accommodating.” The eye roll with which she paired that statement was overly dramatic and Pippa giggled again. She would happily take an entire month of these nights, not having enjoyed herself this much in a very, very long time.

“So, you know, Mildred...?” Hecate slowly lifted her head, making eye contact, eyebrows raised. “I _do_ know Mildred.” Her tone was mostly pleasant, though a little wary. “Is she yours?” Pippa said it in a rush, wanting it out of her before she could change her mind. She needed to know, and wanted to know, but also desired to keep some sort of façade going. Hecate smiled tenderly. “She is mostly her own, of course, but no. I am not her mother. Or her stepmother. Why do you ask?” Pippa shrugged. “You’re so good with her, a natural really. Have you known her and her mother long?”

The album lay forgotten in Hecate’s lap. “A little over a month now. But I used to be a secondary school teacher, so I do have some experience in dealing with teenagers.” “Ah.” Quickly taking a sip of wine to mask her glee, Pippa felt a rush of bubbles through her chest. A teacher. Brilliant! “And Mildred is easy, albeit clumsy, a little overconfident at times, but she wants to learn and is willing to work.”

She slowly closed the album in her lap, keeping a finger between the pages. “Are Mildred and her mother the family you eluded to when you first arrived tonight?” All her blood rushed to her face and Pippa averted her eyes, focusing on the coffee table. “Maybe…”

* * *

A very pretty flush came over Pippa’s face when she asked about her supposed family and Hecate wondered whether it was because Pippa was embarrassed of her own curiosity or if there was anything more behind it. The very attractive quality of the colour to Pippa’s cheeks made Hecate want to take away any ambiguity about her relationship status to her, even if the other woman was taken. “Mildred’s mother is Gwen’s nurse, one of the very few Gwen trusts, and she is a friend. We are not involved.”

A rush of air left Pippa’s mouth and she visibly relaxed. There just may have been something more, indeed. Not wanting to put Pippa further on the spot, Hecate parked the topic and moved on. “There is nothing in this album from the holiday on the beach. Would you hand me the album with dance photos? There must be one or two of us dancing in there” Her mother’s filing system left something to be desired but so far there wasn’t anything embarrassing or overly private in the boxes and she didn’t mind sharing whatever they contained with Pippa. Their interactions being rather more enjoyable than she had predicted, even though the other woman was a giggler.

Never before had she found giggling to be so, well, sexy. There was something very attractive about a grown woman so comfortable with her small bursts of glee, virtuous and pure, that might be deemed foolish by lesser minds and Hecate caught herself trying to elicit more of the bubbling sounds from Pippa as the evening progressed. Some elementary part of her brain also wondered how the laughs would sound with a breathy quality, flitting out in a dark and steamy bedroom in the throes of passion, but she stored that even further away, not to be consciously revisited soon (or at all). Better keep a respectful distance from any thoughts that would only lead to eventual disappointments.

“Hecate?” Her head shot up. Apparently she had missed something, Pippa was considering her with amusement and fondness. “You were far away.” “Yes, I apologise. What did you want to know?” Pippa was pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands, making the whole image all the more endearing. “I asked you how long you were a teacher.” Yes, a much safer topic, work. Rolling her shoulders, Hecate tried to release a little tension. “Five years, but since I am on indefinite leave of absence from work, I suppose, technically, I am still a teacher.” She opened the album in her lap halfway. “But I was not planning to return to work there until Gwen either dies or becomes impossible to care for, so that point is moot.”

She sent Pippa a wise-arse smirk. “Does that answer your question?” It elicited another round of giggles, making forbidden thoughts poke their heads out of deeply hidden doors in Hecate’s mind and she shook her head to dispel them. Then she turned a page and a girl with blonde curls in a ballet pose smiled up at her. “Look at this.” She tapped Pippa’s forearm to draw her attention to the album and Pippa leaned sideways, their shoulders touching, the floral scent of the other woman instantly encompassing them and Hecate was transported to the endless hours she spent in the botanical gardens as a student.

Closing her eyes and leaning back, she let Pippa reach over and turn the album to the next pages, suddenly not that interested in the far past anymore. She imagined Pippa in her pink sweater, sleeves falling over her hands and fingers just peeping out, a rosy flush on her cheeks and smiling sweetly, in the middle of the orchid nursery. And then in the succulent garden, with her hair loose and free whirling in the wind and her sweater falling over one shoulder. And then in a field of sunflowers, for some strange reason, wearing a light blue sundress and a straw hat and giggling over something Hecate said.

“Oh wow.” It was said in a breath and brought Hecate back to the present and Pippa leaning over her on the sofa, in order to see more of the photos of her as a little girl. “Look how many different outfits we wore. We must’ve spent nearly every day together.”

* * *

There were so many images of her, a myriad of photos of them dancing, on the boulevard, on the beach, on a sun deck, on a king-size bed. Pippa had never before seen herself recorded in such abundant quantity. Her parents would only have professional family photographs taken, twice a year, in early summer and over Christmas, and spontaneous photos were incredibly scarce. To see herself smiling, laughing and playing, free spirited and loose, she couldn’t describe the elated feeling it brought out. Putting her finger on a particular endearing photo of them, she turned to Hecate, who was just opening her eyes.

Her gaze rested softly on Pippa, tender and heavy, and she was unable to move her eyes from the dark and smouldering stare. Pippa swallowed, then exhaled shakily, but nothing in the look changed. Her thoughts swirled slower and slower, until everything in her head stopped and there was only a quiet rush and the dark eyes of Hecate. Leaning towards the other woman involuntarily, Pippa was sure that they would kiss at any moment. Then a buzz was heard, followed by a ding, from the coffee table, and Hecate blinked and seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in.

She cleared her throat and lowered her eyes, flexing her fingers over the open pages in her lap. “Should you check that?” Her eyes were on Pippa’s phone, the cause of their disruption. Pippa bit her lip and shook her head. “It’s probably Dimity, but it’s not important.” Silently cursing her friend for her ghastly timing, she sat facing Hecate, leaning her shoulder against the back of the couch and running her hands over her legs. “Are you certain? If you’ve to go, I can bring the album with me next week.”

“No!” Okay, that reply was a little tense but Pippa really didn’t want to leave. Every minute she spent with Hecate she became more and more enthralled, feeling a link with the other woman she hadn’t before with another, not even with past girlfriends. Especially now she knew Hecate was unencumbered (which she didn’t have to mention, but she did, which said _something_ , at least, Pippa hoped it said something), Pippa absolutely wanted to find out where this night would go. But Hecate was still watching the phone, and her expression was a little cross, as if she also blamed the messenger for upsetting their moment.

With a heavy sigh, Pippa picked it up and unlocked the screen. “I’m telling you, it’s something trivial. Some asinine comment about a pretty girl in a bar that would be _just my type_. She’s always trying to set me up.” Hecate’s responding hum sounded surprised and she coughed a little. “That sounds awful indeed.” Pippa looked over her shoulder and caught a warm smile and soft eyes. “Or really nice.” She giggled again. “Dimity’s a good friend, but I do not share her fondness for twenty-something party girls that drink chocolate martini’s and spend half the night on Instagram and TikTok.”

The (indeed) crude message was deleted and Pippa put her phone on silent for good measure. “Can I take a further look through the photos? Or would you rather I leave so you can have some time to yourself?” In answer, Hecate offered her the opened album. ‘You’re fine. Take your time. More wine?” “Yes, please.” Her head had buried itself between the pages again and she laughed when she got to an image where little them were obviously shaking their booty at the camera, knees bent and bums out. Periodically, the photos would feature Hecate’s mother and occasionally even her father, but it was mostly just the two of them, happy and carefree.

“You look mesmerised.” Hecate had returned and put two filled wineglasses on the coffee table, looking searchingly at her and Pippa imagined the hunger with which she took in all images of child-self would surprise anyone. “I just – I never – “ No, maybe she shouldn’t go there just yet. Maybe her cheerless lack of childhood memories was a subject too gloomy for this night. “It’s nice to be reminded that we were ever that light-hearted, don’t you think?” She had gotten to the end of the album, it was maybe two-thirds full and sadly it contained no photos of a Hecate past the four-year-old on the beach holiday.

“So?” Hecate hummed in assent as Pippa nudged her shoulder. “When do you think we could tackle another box?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fats Waller is (of course) a genius. Just listen to 'Ain't misbehavin' and tell me I'm right.
> 
> The song 'Apple Blossom Flower Dance' apparently is circus music by F. Henri Klickman from 1911. There does not seem to be an audio of it online, but the title is too good to be anything but brilliant.
> 
> The song 'All my rowdy friends are coming over tonight' is by Hank Williams jr. from 1984 and the accompanying music video is actually not that bad (and less misogynistic than expected).
> 
> Oh, and any judgment from the characters in this story about twenty-something girls and their preferences on a night out do not reflect those of the writer 😎


	10. A kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes share a kiss (and so much more).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, this happened:  
> First kiss chapter, had it written for a while and have never rewritten a piece as much as this...  
> Hope it eventually turned out okay. Quite done with it now!
> 
> Ain't no mountain high enough -> written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966, (among others) recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967 and by Diana Ross in 1970.

“Duck!” A jet of red liquid flew from the garden table towards the two girls on the other side, followed by quacks and giggles. Enid, who was responsible for the turmoil, stood by the table with a big grin. “Whoops.” Hecate snorted from inside the house. That girl was incorrigible and not in any way contrite, already setting the system up for another burst.

Maud, the eternal rule enforcer of the trio, ran up to her. “Not again, Enid. You heard miss Hardbroom. We need to finish the right chamber, so we can start testing the whole heart.” Her tone was hopeful, trying to entice Enid into acquiescing and stop messing around, with the prospect of an even bigger explosion of fake-blood when their project was finished. It seemed to work, as Enid stepped back and met the other two girls on the grass with the plan and drawings Mildred had made.

Hecate watched with pride as the auburn-haired teenager walked her two friends through their next steps, discussing the order and handing out tasks, as if she had never been worried about taking on that role. When the girl had shared her worries with Hecate, who had said that she would be happy to be their project advisor but refused to also be their supervisor, Hecate had told her plain and simple: “Try it and see how it goes.” And after a few jokes from Enid and a very thoughtful interruption from Maud, the three settled into their duties without complaint.

They were making a model of a human heart, complete with functioning circulation, for their end-of-term project and Hecate had guided them through the makings of a system with flowing liquid while Julie had provided her medical expertise. Unfortunately, Julie was not here and Hecate had been alone with Gwen and the three teenagers all afternoon.

Surprisingly, the girls were getting along with Gwen without a hitch, and of the two new girls, Enid was the one who more easily navigated around the older woman’s random statements and bouts of snoozing, possibly due to the abundant time she spent with her own grandmother when her parents were on tour or giving concerts. Maud was a little more reserved in her interactions with Gwen but also still in her interactions with Hecate, it appeared to be her nature. Still, Hecate had tried to keep the girls and their rowdy noise and shrieking outside in the garden, while keeping Gwen inside.

“Miss H.?” Enid was standing in the doorway, half in shadow and her head with the two buns looked like that of a teddy bear. Hecate smiled. “Yes?” The girl stood on het tip-toes, perpetually as though she tried to see just that little bit farther ahead, and with her entire future in front of her, Hecate imagined there would be much to see. “Could you come check my measurements? And are there more of the salty biscuits?” Chuckling, Hecate stood up and followed her outside.

The girls had been almost constantly eating, since the moment they’d arrived. “Why don’t I start on the pizza as soon as I’m done here?” The proposal was met with a chorus of enthusiastic assent from all three girls, Enid and Mildred were practically jumping up and down with glee. “We should hurry.” Mildred’s tone was high and lively. “I want miss Pentangle to see our working heart tonight.”

The mention of Pippa sent a flutter between Hecate’s ribs and it had nothing to do with the welcome arrival of another adult after spending her day with children (and Gwen). She carefully checked Enid’s calculations, pleased to see the girl had listened to her and jotted down at least part of her thought process, and gave some advice she was sure Enid would mostly ignore, which honestly did not matter much. Barring a drastic change of plans, the girls were well on their way to make a functioning system, not perfect by far, but it would do the trick. She left them to their own devices and went back inside, checking on Gwen, who was watching telly with Morgana on her lap, on her way to the kitchen to start on supper.

* * *

The garden was tiny, in harmony with the size of the house, but it was marvellous and flooded in colour. Pippa took her time to take in every detail, now that she could without being drenched to the bone, and she smiled when she took in the patch of violets near the kitchen door, wondering whether it had been Hecate or mister Rowan-Webb that had planted those.

Through the window she could see Hecate, dark hair tied sloppy at the crown of her head, spreading dough on the counter and she tapped gently on the glass to get her attention. Her face appeared, flushed and a little sweaty but smiling and she gave a short jerk of her head as invitation to enter, which Pippa did promptly. “Thank the stars that you’re here.”

Hecate's body was angled towards her and Pippa took her time to appreciate the loose-fitting white shirt with round neckline and the black shorts the other woman had on. She’d scarcely forgotten about the tantalizing protrusion of her clavicles or the unending quality of Hecate’s legs, and it was quite trying to be confronted with them again without succumbing to the lapse in respiration it caused.

Forcing her eyes back to Hecate’s face, Pippa thought she caught the other woman’s eyes lingering by the hem of her skirt. So, maybe she wasn’t the only one distracted by the display of skin this warm day brought about, and judging by the increased flush on Hecate’s cheeks, she knew she’d been caught. Pippa’s smile only grew. “Miss me?”

Hecate chuckled as she ran her hands under the tap. “Any sort of adult interaction, actually.” Looking Pippa up and down excruciatingly slow, she eventually tilted her head and pursed her lips. “You will do.” Oh my bloody bits, Hecate was flirting with her! The playful wink she received almost put Pippa in a dither if it wasn’t for the howling laughter that suddenly spilled from the back of the house. With eyebrows knitted together, Hecate leaned back to look towards the back garden, but there didn’t seem to be anything to worry about, as she aligned again in the same movement and turned towards the counter.

Starting with the olive oil, Hecate went on to cover the dough. “How was your Saturday night?” As she was watching Hecate’s hands and fingers handle and distribute the different ingredients, Pippa almost didn’t register the question. It made her pulse quicken and sweat coat her spine. “It was fine.”

Which it had been, Hannah had taken her to an art show and out to dinner afterwards. They had talked about the show, Pippa found Hannah’s observations detailed and astute, and they had joked, Pippa had made Hannah laugh easily, but there had been no spark at all. There was no doubt in Pippa’s mind that Hannah had felt the same, still, if she could obscure her pastime for Hecate, she would.

“How was yours?” Starting to grate a slab of cheese over the covered dough, Hecate shrugged. “Uneventful.” And how Pippa would love to change that for her, she could imagine them together on the sofa watching a romcom or a very serious arthouse film or documentary (if that was more to Hecate’s liking) or spend an evening in the garden having a glass of wine and watching the sun go down. They would make their way upstairs together and here Pippa stopped her fantasy, not a good idea in this setting.

Hecate had been drying her hands and was watching her with interest, before she opened the oven and slid the pizza in, grabbing another from the table to place it underneath the first. Then she set a timer on her mobile and beckoned Pippa with her head. “Come meet the girls.”

* * *

“Enid! Stop pulling!” Maud’s voice was soft but strong and Enid mumbled a guilty ‘sorry’ as she looked up at Pippa on the sofa. All three girls had taken an immediate liking to the blonde but Enid’s devotion knew no bounds, asking for Pippa’s opinion on everything she could think of and remaining close to her all night.

At the moment Hecate was on the sofa putting two perfect French braids in Mildred’s hair, who sat in front of her on the rug. Pippa was behind Enid on the sofa and the two teens were putting tiny braids in the wet pigtails of Maud between them.

After dinner, the girls had wanted to show their beating heart to the adults, the model turning out quite impressive, including the working circulation system, pumping cranberry juice through the heart’s chambers and plastic arteries. Mildred had given a short introduction and Maud had turned the switch to start the system. Enid stood on the other side and explained their working plans to Pippa.

For approximately half a minute the heart steadily pumped ‘blood’ around but then the tube connected to the left atrium slipped loose and drenched Mildred and Maud with cranberry juice. Hecate, who was standing to the side, had leaped forward to grab the tube (but not before her shirt was thoroughly doused as well) and switch off the pump. Everyone was silent for two seconds until all three girls simultaneously burst out in shrieking laughter, Enid rolling in the grass and Maud and Mildred slapping each other on drenched shoulders.

Hecate had to chuckle as well but felt her grin fade when she looked up at Pippa, standing stock still with a undeniable heat in her eyes as she stared at Hecate’s shirt. Resisting the urge to look down herself, she closed her eyes and thanked all the stars in the sky (again) that she had chosen to wear one of her older bras, a fern green article that would remain opaque even when wet.

She inhaled deeply and slowly let the air out of her lungs, bringing her heartbeat, which Pippa’s gaze had caused to fasten, back to a steady rhythm. “Would you excuse me a minute and watch the girls?” Pippa’s head shot up and she nodded jerkily. Dashing by Gwen, who had been watching them from just inside the sliding doors in complete serenity, Hecate ran upstairs, dabbed away the sticky fluid, changed and came back down with two sets of her work-out clothes.

She instructed the drenched duo, who had calmed a little, but would burst out in renewed laughter whenever they looked at each other, to take a shower and wash their hair, pushing clean clothes into their hands. Then she picked Enid up from the grass and led her and Pippa inside to the sofa. Pippa still seemed a little dazed and Hecate squeezed her shoulder as she sat down. “Tea?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned away and was happy to hear Enid start asking Pippa what she thought of their heart ‘before it broke’.

Some semblance of normality had returned since. The juice had been removed from Mildred, Maud and the terrace, Hecate’s clothes were too wide for the one girl and too long for the other, but they both were clean and dry, and now they were comfortably braiding each other’s hair while they waited for Maud’s parents to pick them up.

Occasionally, Gwen would interject the chatter with stories of Hecate’s trials in taming her hair and Mildred would then describe what she had seen in photos that accompanied each story, every time eliciting a round of giggles from the other girls. Pippa was unusually quiet, which Hecate was sure the girls did not notice, but Enid did help coax smiles and giggles out of her. Hecate would mutter sarcastic comments, at times with undisguised innuendo, and Enid was just being a little clown.

By the time the girls left, Pippa hugged them all heartily and promised to keep in touch.

* * *

“Bye Pippa!” Enid hung her head and shoulders out of the car and was waving frantically as the Spellbody’s car drove off. Hecate, who had stopped waving a while ago, was regarding Pippa with a twinkle in her eyes. “You’ve an admirer.” Her smile was impertinent and the whole picture was just too darn attractive.

This evening had already been endless torture, as far as Pippa was concerned, and she was convinced that one more reminder of Hecate’s beauty would shatter her willpower and she would throw herself at the other woman. She turned away without responding and went back inside, followed by a chuckling Hecate.

“There is no need to be embarrassed.” They had stepped into the kitchen and Hecate busied herself with filling two glasses with the last of the bottle of red she had opened for them on Friday. “Though I cannot fathom why you would be. This must happen to you wherever you go.”

Pippa tried but failed to tamper her snort. “You’d be surprised.” They’d made their way back to the sofa, Hecate turning towards her with her shoulder against its back, eyebrows raised in question. “I actually often feel superfluous in company and have been told more than once to adapt or leave.”

Hecate had let her jaw go slack and was staring at her, warmth and a little ire in her eyes. “More than one person has actually said such a thing to you?” She took a small sip of wine while Pippa nodded. “That reflects more on their character than it does on yours, you know that, do you?” Now Pippa exhaled in relief, having had just heard precisely what she wished to hear from the other woman.

A bubble ascended from her stomach up to her chest and she wasn’t able to stop herself from grabbing both sides of Hecate’s head, surging forward and pressing a kiss to her lips. Even under the weight of all her anxiety, Pippa never could curtail her impulsivity. She felt Hecate’s free hand come to rest on her hip, not pushing her away or pulling her closer, just keeping her balanced while Pippa leaned awkwardly forward with one knee on the edge of the couch and the other leg spread half under the coffee table.

There was a rushing in her ears, her throat tightened and her heart tried to beat out of her chest. She kept her lips on Hecate’s for as long as she dared, though it couldn’t have been more than a few seconds later when she slowly moved her head back and opened her eyes.

Hecate was watching her with an unreadable expression, slowly licking her lips. “That was unexpected.” Her voice was low and scratchy, and Pippa felt her stomach drop. Oh no, oh no, oh no, Hecate wasn’t interested and she’d screwed it up, again. “It was?”

She lowered her hands from Hecate’s face and tried to move away but Hecate squeezed her hip to keep her close. “It was.” Her eyes softened. “Not unwanted, though.” She put her wine glass away and cupped Pippa’s jaw, pulling her closer once more. “I never thought you would make the first move.” She whispered against Pippa’s lips, before closing the distance.

The hand on Pippa’s hip snaked around and pulled her into Hecate’s lap. She fell forward with a squeak, her hands grabbing the fabric of Hecate’s shirt at her shoulders and she moaned at tasting the wine and something uniquely sweet on Hecate’s lips. The hand that was on her jaw had moved to the back of her neck and Hecate ran her nails along the base of Pippa’s skull, eliciting goosebumps and a happy sigh into the kiss.

After running her tongue over Pippa’s bottom lip, Hecate gently pushed it into her mouth and sparkles appeared behind Pippa’s eyes at that first contact. She’d never been kissed like this, unhurried and soft and constantly evolving, now a little deeper and then a little more. Pippa could not adjust, only follow the movements of Hecate’s mouth and tongue.

A heat radiated from her chest and ears and a downward pressure was on her stomach, the last remains of her concentration were focused on trying to keep her hips from grinding down on Hecate’s thigh.

* * *

Pippa kept surprising her. With her silence, tragedy and defiance, and equal acceptance, honesty and bravery. The kiss was a perfect example, brave, honest and defiant, and it made something warm unfurl in Hecate’s chest.

She had been shocked at first, powerless to do anything, though she did manage to help steady the precarious stance to which the blonde had pivoted. After the kiss ended there was an almost immediate panic in Pippa’s eyes, a panic Hecate could not comprehend and attempted to take away swiftly with another kiss.

That second kiss was everything Hecate had imagined (not that she would ever, under threat of death, admit having imagined it before) and she could not stop herself from pulling Pippa into her lap and playing with her until the blonde was pliable and dazed. After slowly ending the kiss Hecate watched her for a minute, panting in her lap, eyes closed and cheeks flushed.

It was Gwen’s presence, although the woman had been asleep in her chair since before the girls left, combined with a sense of decorum and esteem for Pippa that stopped her from laying the other woman down on the sofa and having her wicked way with her. But the thought of skirting that line was pushing to the front of her brain and Hecate felt she had to give Pippa some agency on the matter.

“That was nice.” When Pippa’s eyes opened her pupils were blown wide and she swayed a little. “Incredibly so.” Pippa’s voice was rugged and low, testing Hecate’s resolve and she took a slow breath in and out. “As much as I would love to continue this endeavour, I think I should assure we will be endeavouring it alone from now on, would you agree?”

A puzzling expression stole over Pippa’s face, her eyebrows scrunched in an adorable manner, until her eyes grew big and bulbous and she scampered off Hecate’s lap, a hand flying to her mouth. “I’m so sorry!” The shock seemed to have completely lifted Pippa’s daze and it saddened Hecate a little. “I cannot believe I kissed you in front of Gwen.” Hecate leaned over and put a hand on Pippa’s arm. “She has been sleeping this entire time, only a well-aimed torpedo strike would have woken her, do not worry.”

She made her way to the older woman and put her hands on both shoulders and shook lightly. “Wake up, Gwen.” She sang it gently and soon Gwen opened and focused her eyes. “Shall we get you into bed?” The older woman hummed and let Hecate help her up and aim her to the loo. “Shall we make fish and chips for supper?” Hecate let a low chuckle erupt. “Perhaps tomorrow.” Gwen smiled and shuffled on.

During their entire night-time ritual, Hecate was intensely aware of the other blonde who was able to follow their movements from the sofa. She was starting to become less self-conscious but that did not mean she was entirely confident in the matter, which Pippa seemed to understand for she took her mobile from the table and began scrolling through it.

After closing Gwen’s bedroom door behind her, the enormity of the situation suddenly dawned. Pippa also seemed to realise, as she would not look at Hecate but instead watched her own hands in her lap, holding her mobile as if it would fall apart if she let go.

“Do you want to talk about what just happened or should I fetch a box from the attic?” Hecate hoped that the question conveyed that she wanted Pippa to stay and did not wish to ignore their kiss. With her head tilted and her bottom lip between her teeth, Pippa seemed to contemplate her query, the sight enough to take Hecate’s breath for a second.

To minimize the awkwardness of her posture, she leaned her forearms on the back of Gwen’s chair. “We could do both?” Which was a good answer, seeming to portray a similar wish at Pippa’s side to stay and discuss. Smiling in relief, Hecate pushed herself away from the chair. “Will you put on a record while I retrieve another box?”

At Pippa’s enthusiastic nod, she left and made her way upstairs, secretly thankful to have a little time alone to gather her thoughts and feelings. She did not feel in any way unhappy with recent developments but at the same time wondered what sort of unforeseen consequences they would bring out and how these consequences would influence the quiet unassuming life she shared with Gwen.

* * *

The photo album they discovered in the third box had the enigmatic title “Ain’t no Mountain High enough’, which unsurprisingly did not contain pictures from efforts in mountain climbing but those of prizes, awards and achievements.

Pippa fell in love with a photo of a smiling baby Hecate with an ‘First time sleeping through the night’-award and giggled at the naked and proud toddler with her ‘First pee in the potty’-award, while Hecate blushed and urged her to skip ahead, although “It’s not as if you have not seen me near naked twice already…”, which made Pippa’s ears heat up. She started stammering an apology, when Hecate put her hand on Pippa’s and urged her to breathe. “You have done nothing untoward, trust me.”

And Pippa did. They had talked about what their kiss meant (a start of something new) and where they would go from here (“Perhaps a date?” Hecate had proposed, which made Pippa utterly gleeful, although she did wonder, “Can tonight be counted as a date as well?” That made Hecate scoff. “With three teenagers and an elderly mother present? You are allowed to have higher standards than that, Pippa.” So they decided to go on a date next week) but not much else.

It was all very nice. And scary. But Pippa could not remember the last time she had smiled and laughed so much in one night, so it must be worth it. She assumed, though this subject would probably not be discussed anytime soon, that Hecate had rather more experience with dating and relationships than her, so she would try to take her cues from the other woman. And that thought relaxed her enough to enjoy perusing through the box of mementos and listening to Hecate’s sharp tongue.

Soon they came across photos from their holiday on Saltburn beach and found out they had received a ‘Best dance team’-award from Hecate’s mother, and Pippa had become the proud owner of a ‘Best hairdresser’-award for apparently putting Hecate’s hair in a ponytail (of which Hecate was actually impressed because “That could hardly have been an easy feat for a six-year-old.”) as well as a ‘Most cartwheels in a row’-award, which was accompanied by a photo of both girls in a heap on the beach and a dry “I’m only impressed if the number is over ten” from Hecate.

But Pippa’s fist covered the amount on the award in the photo and the award itself was presumably lost forever. Pippa pouted and rebutted with “You’re just jealous” which caused a deliciously low chuckle arising out of Hecate, that made Pippa want to kiss her again.

Hecate wasn’t paying attention so she shook it off. “What did your mother do? I mean, what was her job?” A finger stroked over her mother’s smiling face in a photo where she held a sleepy Hecate with a thumb in her mouth holding an award for ‘First napless day’ in a little hand. “She was an elementary school teacher.” A small smile graced her face.

“That sure explains all these wonderful works of art she made.” Pippa let her hand cover Hecate’s on the photo and she snapped out of her stupor. After placing the album on Pippa’s lap, Hecate leaned in, cupped Pippa’s chin and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. “Why don’t I make us some tea while you find out which one of us came out the victor of this little award show?”


	11. A date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the date, and some of the planning and preparation as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter. Mistakes are all mine.  
> Loving all your comments, you rock!
> 
> And I will, belatedly, try to improve readability of earlier chapters 😇

Morning brought a sweeping, beelike Julie bursting into the kitchen, chattering away and busying herself with pouring them both the coffee that Hecate had already prepared. Hecate watched her in amusement from her perch at the kitchen table, glad to see that Julie’s energy seemed to have been replenished, since she was struck by a mild case of the same flu that had been plaguing Gwen.

“I cannot begin to thank you for taking on the advisory role for the girls’ project.” Julie rinsed the percolator with hot water before she put it to dry on the rack. “I surely would not have been able to suffer through a whole day with that trio considering the state I was in yesterday.” An espresso appeared in front of Hecate and a latté was placed across the table. “Not to mention the accident. I shudder to think of that happening in our tiny flat.” The sugar bowl was placed next to Julie’s latté. “I sure am running up a bill with you helping me out left and right.”

As the other woman sat down and was finally still, Hecate let the amusement show on her face. She held her cup under her nose and contentedly inhaled the sharp aroma. While she savoured her first sip of the day, she felt Julie settle down and watched her cradle her own coffee and inhale deeply.

This had become their routine on the days Julie came to care for Gwen. Having usually had a busy morning already, making sure Mildred was up and her bag was ready for school and then an invigorating bike ride to the house, she almost always arrived in a jazz of activity. Hecate would let her peter the excess energy out until she was settled enough to sit and enjoy her coffee, before she would comment or respond to anything that was said. “Mildred also told me that Pippa Pentangle was here last night.” Julie let the query be conveyed through her raised eyebrows and a knowing glare, that made Hecate grin. “She was.” Slowly, she took another sip of her espresso, ignoring the waves of electrifying curiosity coming from the other woman.

Julie dramatically rolled her eyes. “You wouldn’t have let her arrive before Mildred left, if you didn’t want me to ask you about it, so spill…” Arching one eyebrow to express she was humouring Julie, Hecate lowered her cup to its saucer. “Apparently, thirty years ago, our families spent a holiday in the same place. She wished to see the photos I have from that holiday.”

Julie leaned back in her chair, a sceptical look on her face. “Holiday shots? From three decades ago? That’s why she came by?” “Indeed.” Hecate tried her best to school her features but a small smile still stole its way across her face and unfortunately Julie was too perceptive to miss it. Leaning forward and putting her elbows on the table, she pointed her mug towards Hecate. “You could’ve brought those albums to the estate and let her look through them, since you’re there every day.” Pursing her lips, Hecate contemplated how much she was willing to share with Julie, since she needed her help later.

“There were extenuating circumstances.” As she said it, she looked pointedly at Gwen’s bedroom door and Julie relented. “Fair enough. I’ll give you that.” She sipped her coffee and sighed in pleasure. “So did you find the holiday photos? Was she in any of them?” “She was. It seems that we spent a lot of time together there.”

The eyebrows that had come down to their normal level shot up again. “Honestly? That seems fairly coincidental.” In the glare she sent Julie, she tried to convey her blasé disposition on the matter, a ‘what can I tell you?’ nonchalance. “Speaking of coincidences, there might be a way for you to settle that bill you mentioned before.”

* * *

“Really, Pippa?” Dimity used her fingers to turn Pippa’s head back around so she was facing her. “If you keep craning your neck like that, we might end up doing more harm than good this session.” Pippa mumbled a soft apology and tried to concentrate on the exercise, instead of turning around to see whether Hecate had arrived yet.

She was going to see her today and was dreadfully nervous for it. They’d had a glorious time last night and the goodbye kiss Hecate gave her at the kitchen door had been so intense that it caused Pippa to have terrible difficulty crossing the garden to the awaiting Uber at the curb. Luckily, the driver was aware of where she wanted to go because she doubted she could have recited her own address to him.

By the time she got home, she had partially come back to herself and spent some time staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, looking for anything that would prove she hadn’t dreamt or fantasised the evening, finding none. After failing to settle down enough to sleep, her fingers stole into her knickers and she got off on a vision of pale skin, flowing dark hair, a flushed chest and toned thighs. Moderately embarrassed, she soon fell into a deep and dreamless slumber, not waking up once until her alarm rang through the room.

This morning had been torture, Pippa was apprehensive and tense and wanted to see Hecate and make sure that what had happened yesterday was real. Could Hecate have changed her mind? Did such a thing happen after a night like that? Similarly, Pippa didn’t know how to act when she would see Hecate. Should she kiss her? In front of others? She cursed her own limited experience.

“Hips, Pippa!” Dimity started to sound exasperated and Pippa was about ready to give up. “Can we take a break?” The fitness instructor audibly exhaled but did not argue. They plopped down side by side in the grass. “What’s up?” Dimity regarded her a little cross but mostly questioning and Pippa realised she had a mountain of dating experience at her disposal.

“Something happened.” She pulled up her knees and circled her arms around them, creating a safe barrier from the anxiety of this discussion. “Something good?” Trying to make eye contact, Dimity’s face appeared in front of Pippa and she bit her lip in a small smile. “Hecate and I kissed.” The enormity of the change in Dimity’s face, from curious to surprised, would’ve been comical if Pippa wasn’t so agitated. “What about her family?” “I was wrong about that.” Dimity whistled and nudged her with her shoulder. “Called it.”

Which made Pippa smile and forget her worries for a second. “So, what’s the problem then?” Pippa huffed. “I don’t know what to do. Or say.” She leaned her cheek on her knees, looking at Dimity. “When she gets here today, what do I do?” A look of understanding appeared on Dimity’s face. “The morning after, of course. That’s a toughie.” She clicked her tongue a few times. “The easiest way would be to take your cues from her. Respond in kind to what she does.”

That sounded simple, and possible, and even feasible. “Then again, don’t discount your own needs. If you want a little sugar, you should go for it.” That did not sound simple or feasible at all and the sly way Dimity was looking at her did not ease Pippa’s anxiety. “I should go for it?” She whispered the question to the grass in front of her feet. “You should.” Putting her hand on Pippa’s shoulder, Dimity hoisted herself up. “Right about now, I think. Your paramour just entered the house.”

* * *

Hecate gingerly stepped into the kitchen, hoping to find Pippa by the coffee maker. Julie’s incessant teasing after she told her about their date had done nothing to dampen her mood but did make her leave the house as soon as she could, which was why she was earlier than expected and she hoped to spend that extra time with Pippa. Trying to mask her disappointment at seeing Ada instead of the blonde, she accepted her invitation for tea and a chat, regretting it almost instantly as Pippa entered the kitchen at that moment, sprightly and smiling bright.

Pippa’s steps faltered a little as she noticed Ada at the counter but she recovered quickly and bid them both a cheery ‘good morning’, declining the offer to join them for tea, pointing at Dimity on the lawn through the kitchen window. As Ada turned away to follow her pointed finger, Pippa looked at Hecate and Hecate took that moment to send her a very suggestive wink, hoping it would express her wish to talk to her alone sometime later. The smile on Pippa’s face morphed into a beam as she excused herself and left them to their tea, which turned out to be a frustrating fifteen minutes where Ada tried to keep the stilted conversation going and Hecate tried to focus on not peeking out the window at whatever part of Pippa she could spot.

As soon as she finished her cup, she excused herself and made her way outside and to the tool shed. In the distance, Pippa and Dimity were still doing their exercises, the blonde stood in pose with her back to the shed, and Hecate tried to tamper her displeasure at not being able to draw her attention. She entered the shed intent on preparing for the next task in her planning and seeking out the blonde later that morning. A handyman had been by last week and had replastered the wall and fixed the ceiling and Hecate almost had the shed restocked to its former grandeur.

Checking the schedule she had pinned to the wall, she gathered the tools and materials she would need, when she suddenly became aware of someone approaching the door. Hecate was one step away from the doorway when Pippa appeared, flushed and smiling shyly, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. She stayed standing on the threshold, her hands fidgeting, moving from foot to foot and chewing on her bottom lip, until Hecate grabbed one of her hands, pulled her forward, cupped her cheek and leaned down for a kiss, easing the trapped lip from between Pippa’s teeth with her tongue.

Pippa gasped as she was pressed against Hecate and moaned into their kiss. Placing Pippa’s hand on her hip, Hecate snaked her arm around the other woman, pressing her closer as she deepened the kiss. The little gasps and moans coming from Pippa as Hecate teased her mouth open and entered it with her tongue were thoroughly enjoyable and much too soon to her liking she felt Pippa go weak in the knees.

The blonde was panting as the kiss ended, being held up by the hand on her back and clutching to Hecate’s shoulder. Pippa’s soft smile and even softer eyes made it all worth it, though, and Hecate decided there and then that she would try to make Pippa look like that as often as possible.

“Good morning.” She traced her fingers over Pippa’s cheek and along the curve of her jaw. “Hi.” Pippa’s voice was breathy and delicate. “I promised you a date.” The blonde’s eyes grew in surprise for a second until her face broke out into a big grin. “You did.” Still holding Pippa with one arm, Hecate ran her fingers through the soft hair in the ponytail. “I’ve secured a sitter. When are you available?” Because they were pressed close together, Hecate could feel Pippa’s heart beat pick up as she looked away for a second and back again. “Tomorrow?”

* * *

As she put in her earrings, Pippa assessed her outfit in front of the standing mirror in her bedroom. Her dress was paradise pink and fell to her knees in a flowing skirt. The back had a low cut V, though the front’s was a little more demure, being the right kind of sexy without being downright sexual (those outfits may come later). It matched nicely with her white shawl, white pumps and white purse but mostly she wished Hecate would approve, since it was somewhat more fancy and a lot more pink than anything Pippa usually wore.

The three and a half inches her pumps would add to her height would hopefully be put to good use tonight as it would decrease the distance between their lips. Since they hadn’t been able to spend a moment alone since yesterday morning, Pippa expected there’d be some or possibly a lot of kissing tonight. She had noticed Hecate growing quite frustrated by their lack of privacy, although she would appear more composed in company and enjoyed teasing Pippa with suggestive eye brow waggles and winks whenever she had her attention, which was often.

Then again, whenever Pippa’s attention was elsewhere, she would feel Hecate’s eyes on her and had caught her watching on multiple occasions. And Pippa was basking in the intensity of Hecate’s focus on her, her stares, the twitching of her fingers itching to touch, the deliberate brushing of their bodies played off as casual, the sensual way she would pronounce certain words in that low, sultry voice, that Pippa longed to feel rumble against her skin. A shiver travelled from her tail bone to the base of her skull just thinking about having all those things combined to herself tonight. She suspected she might possibly die from it and what a way to go…

Of course, that was the moment Hecate rang the doorbell, sending Pippa into a frenzy throwing everything into her purse and grabbing shawl and pumps, before she ran down the stairs. At the stair base, she stopped and took a few deep breaths, while putting on her shoes, then opened the door, instantly losing her breath again.

Hecate was a vision in black slacks and a dark green top, hair in a low braided chignon and subtle make up that highlighted her eyes. “You are beautiful.” Hecate’s appreciative gaze on her soon darted behind her into the hallway and up the stairs, making Pippa grin. “We’re alone.” As Hecate pulled her forward and their lips met, Pippa was glad she decided to forego using lipstick tonight.

The kiss was intense and passionate and Pippa eagerly responded, looping her arm around Hecate’s neck, while Hecate let her fingers trail along the open expanse of Pippa’s back, down to where the fabric came together at her lower back, and then pushing Pippa’s hips closer. The heels did indeed work in their favour and Pippa was enjoying this new vantage point. She sighed and had to resist the urge to bend one of her legs at the knee as if she was a heroine in a romantic movie.

When the kiss ended, they stood in embrace looking at each other for a moment. “I like the heels.” A glint lit up Hecate’s eyes as Pippa blushed. “Thank you. I like your look. You’re gorgeous.” Hecate's smile slowly grew. “I thought we would walk to the restaurant.” They disentangled and Pippa threw her shawl over her shoulders. “That sounds nice.”

She locked up the house and fell into step with Hecate along the driveway, stepping closer and closer together as they neared the gate, shoulders brushing, until Hecate reached over and took Pippa’s hand. “How was your day?” Pippa looked down at their hands, solidly entwined, and grinned like an idiot. As she started telling Hecate about the boring meeting she had, with the one colleague who regularly held whole monologues without unmuting himself, and Hecate chuckled at her description, Pippa thought this date was off to a great start.

* * *

“But dessert is the best part of supper!” Pippa was pouting and shaking her head as if something utterly unfathomable was happening, instead of a slight difference of opinion. “You should order whatever you wish. I am fine.” Thoroughly enjoying this discussion, Hecate sat back and slowly sipped her wine.

She had noticed that the apples of Pippa’s cheeks developed a rosy glow after she had a single glass of wine, which she currently had, and it was utterly captivating. Pair that with the look of determination in her eyes and her impish smile, while she tried to sway Hecate to her side, which made this easily the best part of their date so far. “But I’m asking you to choose something you’d like, so we can share. It’s more fun like this. Besides, I don’t think I can finish a whole dessert by myself.”

Hecate chuckled softly. “That is not particularly surprising.” The blonde had been eyeing Hecate’s meals all night, finishing her own and then the other’s as well, when Hecate gave in to her pleading looks, solely because she liked that Pippa had a healthy appetite. Leaning forward, Pippa looked at up and batted her lashes. “Exactly. You’ve shared every part of your meal with me so far. What makes dessert different?”

Hecate sighed. “I’m not exactly fond of sweet things.” It was quite obvious Pippa tried to school het features but the look she gave was somewhat offended. “Present company excluded, of course.” Losing the hurt look immediately, Pippa blushed and smiled, bringing her eyes down to her menu. “Well, now I don’t know what to do.”

She closed the booklet and put it down next to her empty plate. “How about we get a cone at the ice cream parlour around the corner on our way to the next destination?” This made Pippa perk up. “Ooh, I’d love some ice cream, yes, let’s do that.” The unfeigned enthusiasm with which the blonde approached their date so far was catching on and Hecate could not wait to see her reaction to the following part of her plan.

She sent a sign to the waiter for the check and after a short debate on who would pay (Pippa did not seem to respect the unwritten rules of dating) and reaching the compromise where Hecate would pay and Pippa could leave a tip, they made their way to the ice cream parlour, not coincidently chosen for their delicious black chocolate ice cream which was one of the few flavours Hecate liked. Pippa made her chuckle and the pimply teen behind the counter confused when she tried to order in Italian but she soon had a cone with pistachio, stracciatella and white chocolate ice cream and was perfectly content.

“Where’re we going?” It was mumbled between bites and Hecate could not help cupping the back of Pippa’s head and kissing the ice cream from her mouth, even if it was much too sweet for her liking. Pippa stopped in her tracks, threw and arm around her neck and moaned into the kiss. “Bloody bits, that’s good.” Slowly grinning wider, Hecate held her close, foreheads touching. “The ice cream or the kiss?” “Yes.”

As she disentangled herself, Pippa leaned over and took a small bite of Hecate’s black chocolate ice cream, closing her eyes and making a scandalous noise in the back of her throat, while Hecate rapturously watched. “Now stop distracting me and tell me where we’re going.” Taking a moment to compose herself and wondering if Pippa was purposely trying to drive her insane, Hecate took her hand again. “It’s a secret.”

One she sincerely hoped Pippa would like. The location was known by only a few people in town, of which Algernon had been one. He would take her and Gwen there whenever they had something to celebrate and Hecate had gotten to know the current caretaker quite well. She hoped Pippa would pass her thorough vetting.

* * *

They had stopped at the corner of an unassuming street close to the edge of town, an older part Pippa didn’t know that well, which may have been surprising, since the town wasn’t that big and she had lived here her whole life. But with boarding school, summers at the beach, winter break in Switzerland and living a sheltered life, she really hadn’t spent that much time getting to know her home town. A wall overgrown with vines lined the sidewalk they were on and the air smelled like jasmine.

Hecate had stopped her with a squeeze of her hand and a little tug on her arm, making Pippa spin around and face her. “Are we there?” She sceptically looked around at the unassuming apartment building across the way and the small shops below that lined the street. “Nearly.” A mysterious smile graced Hecate’s face and she kept her eyes on Pippa, exuding serenity.

“What are we waiting for?” Pippa was whispering now, not wanting to ruin the peaceful atmosphere. It was almost as if they were in a protective bubble, sounds of passing cars were dulled and the light seemed softer somehow, but maybe that was just Hecate’s calming influence. “To be granted access.” Her voice was softer but Pippa heard it clearly over the background noise.

She stepped a little closer, her almost finished cone in one hand and Hecate’s hand in the other. “Access to where?” The mystery was very intriguing, although Pippa also started to feel a bit anxious. Never being very patient, and she never really had to be, Pippa had to work to keep from fidgeting and hopping from leg to leg but a look at Hecate’s eyes instantly calmed her. “You will see.”

Feeling more relaxed than she had been this entire evening, she kept staring into the dark brown eyes and slowly ate the last of her ice cream. This wasn’t so bad. If this would be the rest of their evening, Pippa actually didn’t mind. She had just popped the last piece of cone into her mouth when Hecate’s face cleared up and she focused on something behind her.

Spinning around, Pippa saw a tiny, elderly lady standing besides the wall a couple of feet away. As she beckoned them over, Hecate nudged her shoulder in the direction of the woman. Pippa wanted to ask who the woman was, how Hecate knew her, where they were going, but she had the feeling that would not be appreciated. When the got closer to the small woman, Pippa noticed an opening in the overgrown wall, with an worn wooden door without a door knob.

“Hecate.” The woman’s spoke warm, loving, and grabbed the hand that Hecate held out. “Alden, what’s the verdict?” Alden grinned. “A pass. But barely.” She spun to face Pippa head on, light blue eyes peering into her own. “You are welcome to enter, should you wish.” She took a key out of a pocket and opened the door, enveloped by the darkness on the other side as she passed the threshold.

Before she made to follow, Pippa looked over at Hecate, who was watching her and waiting patiently, warm and comfortably holding her hand, not seeming to expect anything one way or another. It appeared that the choice whether to enter was hers and that Hecate would do nothing to convince, push or sway her. A bubble rolled from her stomach to her chest, something that had been happening quite often since she met the other woman, and she made her way through the doorway, pulling Hecate along behind her.

The darkness inside was not as vast as it had appeared. They were standing in a small tiled circle underneath a wooden structure supporting a variety of hanging vines, light filtering through, the smell of jasmine stronger. Alden pushed her hand through the vines and parted them, revealing an open expanse filled with greens and a variety of colour. “Welcome to the secret garden.”


End file.
